Light in the Darkness
by actress65
Summary: After the war with the giants, what happened to Nico and Camp? More specifically what about him and Will Solace, the stubborn yet endearing Son of Apollo? Nico never expected he would come to be friends with a boy the polar opposite of himself, much less fell for the dork. Yet there he was, finding a small ray of hope in the darkness that still threatened to consume him.
1. Talking at the Docks Gets Personal

It was only a week after the fight with Gaea, and I was lying in my new bed in the Hades Cabin.

My cabin was dark as usual, yet the curtains were open because a certain Son of Apollo had made me saying it was "good for my health" vitamin D, blah blah blah.

The shadows seemed to drift across the room regardless, and my bed was about as far away from the sunlight as I could possibly get it. I didn't want to wake up and first thing in the morning have a blinding sun in my eyes, no thanks.

Throughout the camp there seemed to be an unsettling silence, it was the end of August and most people were heading to school and/or college (Travis Stoll for example), that and all of the deaths in the camp seemed to have a way of humbling everybody to silence. Not that I minded really, just...being used to the energetic, loud, in-your-face type of style that the Greek camp had, and being here now was a bit weird. Morbid in fact. As if it was trying to mimic the dead.

Then again, it could just be the fact I was alone in my dark, musty cabin.

As if on cue, there was a knock on my door.

With a inaudible sigh, I got up from my comfortable bed and pulled on my black shirt with a skull on it. Actually, black shirts with skulls on them included about ninety percent of my clothes now that I thought about it. Ah, whatever.

I walked over to the door and opened it up to find none other than Will Solace standing there with his usual easy-going grin. "Hey Nico, mind if I come in?" "You'll come in regardless of what I say." I muttered, rolling my eyes as I stepped aside to allow room in the doorway for the tall Son of Apollo to step into the Cabin.

"That I would have, but it's polite to ask first." He admitted with a shrug.

Without asking, he walked over to the nearest bed (which happened to be my own) and plopped down onto it before stretching out like a cat. He lay down on his side, facing me, and propped his head up with his left hand. "Is there something you need?" I asked, closing the door to keep out the August heat as I leaned on the wall near to it with my arms folded across my chest.

"Would you believe me if I told you I came just to see a friend?" He asked, and I rolled my eyes.

That question sounded about as ludicrous as leprechauns being real.

"I wouldn't believe anybody if they said that." I replied, with a slight scowl. Was he just messing with me?

He sat up on his bed, swinging his legs over the side as he stared at me quietly for a second. "I think being in this cabin has made you dense again." "Will, I'm fine," I replied stiffly, gesturing to the door.

He stood up, nearly six inches taller than me (curse you height difference) and walked past me opening up the door. "I'm telling you to go on a walk, doctor's orders. I can write a note." I sighed deeply, "Will, I _just_ got out of three days in the infirmary because of 'doctor's orders'."

He shrugged innocently, "And you thought I was joking." Will said, laughing.

I didn't laugh.

"Mhm. Anyhow, how would this be doctor's orders?" I asked, rubbing my eyes and he tapped his chin as if he hadn't thought of that. "Well, the infirmary was for physical health, this is for the improvement of your mental health."

At that I let out a chuckle. Since when have I, Nico di Angelo, had good _mental health_? I get upset and the grass withers around me, I get angry and skeleton zombies burst forth from the ground. I'm not exactly what therapists would call "stable".

He hadn't moved from the doorway, this stupidly stubborn Son of Apollo wasn't budging. He seriously either wanted to walk with me (doubtful), or thought that that this would help me (again, doubtful). We were at a stalemate, each one of us didn't want to back down, even if it was over something as trivial as a walk. There was an odd determination Will had about him, a bit like Percy, but he didn't doubt his decisions as much.

"Get out of my cabin, Solace, you're letting my cold air out." I replied, rolling my eyes as I stepped outside of the doorway and into the hot August heat and he stared at me surprised for a moment. "I...didn't think it would be that easy." He muttered, before grinning again. Was it that my eyes deceived me or were those tiny dimples on the corners of his mouth? Damn those are adorable.

He stepped out past me, closing the door behind him as he glanced at the green flames in the torches hanging next to my door. "Are you ever going to change them?" "Maybe with the holidays, I was thinking green and red for Christmas." I replied, with a straight face and his lit up like a light bulb.

"Really?"

"No."

We walked in a small silence, me with my hands shoved in my pockets when I realized something. "I forgot my sword at the cabin." Will raised an eyebrow at me, "I don't think you have to worry about your swords. Might I remind you that you have the powers to raise an entire army of zombies. Not that I would recommend you do that, seeing as though you almost faded into darkness a week ago."

"Not going to let me live that down, huh?" I asked looking up at him, again I hated our height difference. The only other guy who was my height was Leo. _Was_. Now I didn't even have that luxury.

I missed the mechanic, there was something behind his eyes, a loneliness that seemed to consume him. A feeling of never quite being on the same level of the demigods around him. Those were things I understood all too well, I had felt all of those things before. Still did. There was always somebody more chivalrous than me, more heroic, self-sacrificing, a better healer, better at fighting, better at compassion...

"Nico." Will said, tapping my shoulder with his hand, "The grass," he stated, and I shook my head.

When I looked down, sure enough the grass had turned yellow around my feet. "Sorry, just thinking." "Thinking about what?" Will asked and looked down at me as we walked in the direction of the docks.

"Now, I'm not a mind reader," he started, "but I figure you've got a bunch of not-so-pleasant thoughts." "Putting it simply, yes." I replied, the Demeter children were definitely going to yell at me for messing up the grass with my mood.

Another thing in my life to look forward to!

We got to the docks and the sun was low on the horizon, giving red and orange crests to the gentle waves. I glanced around and saw Jason Grace and Piper McLean walking by the pavilion.

Jason caught my gaze and nodded to Will, who (thank Hades) hadn't noticed Jason over his shoulder. Jason raised an eyebrow which meant: What are you doing with him...? And I gave my head a small shake telling him I didn't want to talk about it. He shrugged and Piper noticed me before giving me a wave. I gave her a one handed wave back, not wanting to be rude. Then Will noticed and gave a wave as well.

When he turned around he poked my arm. "And you say you don't have any friends."

I sighed and folded my arms against my chest, "Well, they're part of the Argo II crew, I couldn't get rid of them if I tried."

"What, so you don't consider me a friend either?" He asked, with a dramatic gasp as he put his hand over his heart.

 _Will, your Apollo is showing._

I rolled my eyes and sat down on the deck, crossing my legs. "I've let them all down at one point. I've disappointed all off my friends at one point, so forgive me but I don't want to do the same to you."

He sat down as well, looking out over the water. His sandy blond hair looked pink and his pale blue eyes looked golden. The splash of freckles across his nose and cheeks seemed slightly more prominent in the sunset.

 _Stupid attractive boy._

Wait, what?

"You're always so hard on yourself, Nico." He muttered, crossing his legs as he propped his chin up on his hand like he did in my cabin earlier.

Well, I did deserve it.

"Will, you're treating me like a-" "A hero. Because that's what you are." He cut me off, with a surprisingly intense gaze his face half shadowed because he was facing me and not the horizon.

He didn't seem to understand, "I'm not-I killed somebody. Two people. That isn't a hero." I said, my voice dropping and I was glad that we weren't on grass because an entire field would probably be dead and withered by now.

There was a small silence and he let his hand fall, sitting up straighter. "One of those technically wasn't your fault."

"Yeah, well, I could have stopped it. Not saying anything was handing him a death sentence." I muttered, not able to look at him.

Will let out a faint sigh, "And who knows what Bryce would have done if you hadn't have dragged his soul to the Underworld to be rightfully judged?" "Reyna told you, didn't she?" I asked, taking in a deep breath trying to calm down and Will chuckled. "She may have. But that's besides the point, without you-" He waved his hand around at camp, "this wouldn't be here. The Athena Parthenos wouldn't be here protecting the camp. They would never have made it to the House of Hades." He tried to tell me and I shook my head, running my hand through my hair as a rough sigh escaped me. He was trying to make me believe something that I didn't believe myself.

A felt two hands on my shoulders, and I looked at Will surprised. He had that determined look he seemed to wear so well, "You may not believe it, but you may be even more heroic than Percy, just in your own way. You've contributed just as much as any of the seven. You just haven't asked for much recognition. Nico, you've got to believe me." "It's hard to hear a message when you don't believe it yourself." I said, shaking off his hands and I stood up.

Will sighed. "Wait-" "I just need some time alone."

He stood up too and folded his arms across his chest. "You're doing it again." "Doing what?" I asked, surprised he was _still_ arguing.

I stopped moving as he uncrossed his arms and threw his right hand up in aggravation, "You're shutting yourself away from your problems and everybody else along with them." Will stated bluntly.

The Son of Apollo was right, but I wasn't going to admit it. "That may be true. But it's the only thing that keeps me sane."

"You have friends." Will said, "Lean on them, lean on _me_. Okay?" "The last time I leaned on somebody, I lost a sister." I told him, shaking my head as I turned. "You're talking about Percy, right?" "And if I am?" I asked, anger bubbling in my stomach and Will let out a small sigh trying to figure what to say next. " Never mind Percy. I'm not telling you that you have to tell me what you're thinking all day everyday. Just if something, like earlier with the grass, is on your mind you'll come talk to me."

There was a small breeze that passed over us and I clenched my jaw, "Talking...isn't my strong suit." "Then I'll come and sit with you so at least you aren't keeping it to yourself. Nico, you're trying to hole up a volcano, one day it'll blow and you won't be the only person who suffers because of it."

 _Yeah, I know. I'm selfish in that way. Keeping it all to myself so that I won't burden others with my demons that scream in my head day in and day out. I try to drown them out in sleep only to find they're eve stronger nightmares. Will, I wish you understood but you don't._

"Well then I recommend you move away from the volcano." I told him turning, Will walked over and caught my arm, stopping me as I started to walk back to my cabin where only silence would welcome me.

"I'm not moving away from that volcano even if there's an earthquake and it explodes. I told you I wanted to be your friend and friends don't abandon each other, got it?

"Wanting to be friends" with "me" just didn't form a cohesive sentence in my mind. "I wanted to get that out there." Will stated, his startling tight grasp lessening, I hadn't realized how tight it had been until he loosened it. "I know." I replied, as Will let go of my arm.

Another silence passed.

As did another breeze.

He rubbed his neck. "Sorry for grabbing you, I just knew you wouldn't listen otherwise...so will you come to me?" "I'll keep it in mind. Thanks Doc." I replied, a faint smile finding its way onto my mouth as I turned around.

Jason and Piper seemed to have disappeared so hopefully they weren't eavesdropping on our conversation.

I didn't run into many people on the way back to my cabin, but when I glanced over my shoulder Will was still standing at the docks with his hands in his jean pockets. He was looking at the setting sun with a far-away look in his eyes, deep in thought. A long shadow fell behind him as his blond hair became messy in the breeze which was picking up. He closed his eyes and something about the silhouette seemed striking to me, he was really handsome but in a way that you didn't quite notice at first glance, until you felt compelled to sit and stare.

Apparently I had been looking for a long time because he suddenly glanced over his shoulder, back at me before giving a lop-sided smile with a one handed wave as if to mimic mine from earlier.

I returned the favor and walked back to my cabin, with the silhouette of him still ironed into my head.

 _You may be just as much of a puzzle to me as I am to you, Will Solace._


	2. Unexpected Nightmares

It was at around ten p.m. when I was finally able to drift off to sleep, trying to ignore the shadows that seemed to reach out to me in the corners of my cabin. The silence was what made it so difficult to sleep, you see, when I can't hear anything else my thoughts start to escalate until they're practically making my head throb.

"Hm, having pleasant dreams, di Angelo?" An all too familiar voice asked in the form of Leo Valdez. "You aren't him," I said, my throat closing up.

Leo's brown eyes flashed at me with a fire behind them. "Really? Well what am I doing here then. Hm, if only you had have stopped Octavian sooner. Instead two of us are dead, because _you_ felt you had the right to give him a death sentence." He almost hissed, his words were like cigarette smoke and made it difficult to breath.

"Stop it." I growled, trying to force myself to wake up, better to be sleep deprived than too sink deeper into my depression.

But the smokey form of Leo grinned and snapped his fingers, igniting a small flame in his hand and took a step closer to me. "Then again, it only seems fitting seeing as though you have the shadow of death hanging over your head. Your sister died, Percy and Annabeth fell because you couldn't close the Doors of Death, you dragged Bryce's soul to the Underworld, all because you-" He was inches away from my face, his fire was searing my skin and my heart hammered in my chest.

"Stop it!" I yelled, turning as if that would drown out his voice.

Now more voices were joining in, getting louder the more I wanted to drown them out, the dead seemed to be coming back to haunt me. I screamed so that I could hear something other than their voices, and then I saw my sister. "What happened to the little brother I loved...?" She asked, and all of the voices went silent.

Her voice was soft, and seemed like an icy breeze, chilling me to the bone. Disappointment rippled off her voice, then I was standing before the judges in the Underworld.

They stared down at me with accusing stares, as if they were looking at my soul rather than at me. "Where should he be put?" One asked, with a sinister grin and they shook my head in unison. It felt like an invisible rope had been tied around my waist as I was pulled towards a dark pit.

Panic seized me.

 _Tartarus_.

I couldn't go back there, I wouldn't, nothing the gods could say would make me go back there. Send me to the Fields of Punishments for my wrong-doings, but _please_ anything but that.

The force tugged on me tighter the closer I got to the pit that seemed to whisper to me, I fell and clawed at the ground. Screams of anguish escaped me as I prayed for something, anything to keep me from going back to that hell again. The closer I came to it, the faster I seemed to be dragged, and just as I began to fall into the pit my eyes opened.

I sat up in bed, screaming, tears streaming down my face as I felt a cold sweat run down my neck. I breathed heavily, throwing the blankets off of me as I put my head in my hands. For the past week, dreams of a similar nature were the only things that were promised when I closed my eyes hoping to find peace. The Hypnos Cabin wasn't helpful as usual, and most of them either went home or were asleep ninety percent of the time so I couldn't ask them for help about my dreams.

Now the shadows made me feel like there were ghosts hiding in them, eyes seeing through me in the darkness. Forms drifting across my room just out of eyesight.

My self-proclaimed title as the Ghost King seemed to be coming back as a sick joke.

Before I could do anything else, I had to get out of here.

There needed to be some serious adjustments to this cabin so that I would be able to get some peace. I pulled on my old aviator jacket and headed outside into the cool early morning which was thankfully woke me up.

It was still dark outside, without any sign of the sun coming out anytime soon. The harpies normally weren't as vigilant in the early morning, so I should be fine to clear my head around camp.

By my guessing, it looked around two in the morning meaning I got roughly four hours of sleep. As sad as that may be, it was probably the most consecutive sleep I've gotten in a while.

Something moved over by Cabin Seven, Apollo's cabin. It being dark, I couldn't tell who it was by sight, by I could recognize the cat-like movement anywhere. There was no mistaking who was up at this hour, but I wondered as to why they were up.

 _What's Will doing up at this ungodly hour?_ I wondered, raising an eyebrow as I saw him climb up the wall on something. and sit cross-legged on the roof of the cabin he was head counselor of.

Now, I could shadow travel behind him, but that would probably make him scream and/or fall off the roof.

Neither were something that I wanted to happen, so it would probably be best to just walk over. Hopefully he would spot me or I would figure out something to get him to notice me so that we could talk. Obviously he didn't wake up just to stargaze. Something had happened.

As I walked across camp, I half hoped he would have glanced down and see me.

Sadly, he didn't.

By the time I got to his cabin I stood staring up at the boy who was so deep in thought, gaze fixed up at the stars, that I grabbed a stone that was slightly smaller than my palm and tossed it up on the roof. "Will." I whispered, and he jumped slightly, making me have worry that he may fall off the edge of the roof. It wouldn't kill him but it sure would hurt. _Shit, I startled him_. I cursed to myself but he poked his head over the edge, "Nico?"

He asked, in disbelief then sighed and nodded to his left (my right). "There are vines that go up the side of the cabin. Use those." He whispered back, and I nodded.

The vines were stronger than I would have thought they were and as I got towards the top Will extended his hands towards me. He wanted to help me up.

My first reaction was to swat it away and haul myself up, alone. Then a voice in my mind argued that I needed to start accepting other people's help. I trusted him moderately more than anybody else, so why the hell not. I grabbed his hand and he helped me up with surprising ease.

"You're lighter than I thought you'd be, have you been eating?" He asked, as I sat next to him, my legs stretched out in front on me as I propped myself up on my elbows. "Yes." I lied easily, never had much of a stomach.

I couldn't eat much from when I practically starved in Tartarus, my stomach had seemed to shrink to the size of a pea. Luckily, I could just say I worked out a lot so I didn't have much extra weight, not that I was obsessed with body image or anything. I couldn't care less about how I looked. Except I wouldn't wear Hawaiian shirts if they were the last thing on Earth, _never again_.

"Mhm." He muttered, with a doubtful look in my direction. I rolled my eyes in reply, if I told him I didn't eat much he would detain me in the infirmary again and force feed me.

There was a silence that settled between the two of us and I let out a soft breath looking at him.

It was then I realized he was wearing a sleeveless white t-shirt, and his blond hair looked like even more of a mess than usual...not that I could judge. He managed to wear the look much better than I ever have.

He looked over at me as well, yet seemed at a loss for what to say.

"I'll bite," I grumbled as the silence had became oppressive, and looked up at him, "Why are you up?" "Nightmares." He sighed, and lay down on the roof putting his hands behind his head as he looked up at the clouds drifting lazily across the sky.

"What about? Nightmares are something I understand." I told him, and he chuckled quietly. His voice was deep and had a slight southern accent which was something I had just noticed. "Funny, Nico, I remember telling you to come to me when you needed to talk yet here I am talking to you."

I rolled my eyes, and mimicked how he way laying, and looked up at the sky as well. "Don't change the subject, Will, we're talking about you and you alone. You've been babying me for the past week I think it's time you have a taste of your own medicine."

He raised an eyebrow, glancing over at me, "Did you just make a pun? A doctor pun?" Will asked, laughing quietly and I scowled at him. "Shut up, now talk, Solace."

His smiled faded and he closed his eyes. "Listen Nico...this is more of a guilty nightmare thing..." He muttered and I stared at him in disbelief. This was a boy who seemed to have the world in his hands, an actual ball of sunshine. He had guilt? What of?

Will's blue eyes closed and he let out a sigh before sitting up again. He looked down at his hands, which were shaking slightly. "I-these...these hands...I'm supposed to be a healer, yet there were were countless deaths. If I had have been faster, if I did more..." His voice faded towards the end of his sentence and I sat up looking at him. "The Battle of the Labyrinth, Pollux, I watched him die. The Battle of Manhattan, countless more...now..." His voice cracked, and he clenched his fists.

"Your hands have saved life, mine have only brought death, Will. You have a gift." I told him, restraining to urge to hold his hands in mine. He looked at me with glassy eyes, and then at the roof. "Some gift it is."

Now, I couldn't restrain said urge, I reached out and held his hands in mine. He looked at me, startled for a second but didn't pull his hands back.

Seeing him like this, we may not have been...friends for long, but I hated to see him like this. "Listen to me Will, you have got to stop getting onto yourself for things that were out of your control. You did absolutely everything you could. Half the campers wouldn't be here if not for you." I told him, in a serious tone, some of my hair falling into my face as I spoke. Will stared at me oddly, tilting his head to the side.

It seemed like the gears in his mind were working in overdrive and he glanced down at my hands that was still on top of his. I quickly pulled them away, suddenly finding the tiling on the roof oddly appealing to look at. He shook his head, rubbing his neck, "You are such a hypocrite, Nico." "What was that?" I asked, feeling defensive, as I looked up at him.

Who was he to call me a hypocrite-

"You say I shouldn't blame myself for things out of my control yet look at what your doing to yourself. It seems obvious you had a nightmare as well. That, or a certain Son of Hades is nocturnal-"

I held up a hand, cutting him off as I shook my head, letting out a disgruntled sigh. "When will that stupid rumor about me being part vampire let up?"

Then I thought about the first part of his statement and twisted my skull ring around my finger. "That's different, Will."

"How so?" He asked, with a quizzical gaze, piercing through me like a knife. Another sigh escaped me. "I hate it when you bring logic into this. Besides I owe you for...saving me back a week ago, so I can't go and let you beat yourself up."

The Son of Apollo took a deep breath as if preparing himself to say what he was going to say, "So why can't you let me do the same with you?" Will asked and I rolled my eyes.

"Because I don't work that way."

"You don't work any way." He muttered, pursing his lips.

The two of us sat there and he finally asked a question I knew he would ask eventually. "So I've heard rumors...is it true you went to Tartarus... _alone_?" "Yeah." I said my voice dropping to a whisper, envy tugged at my stomach. Percy at least had Annabeth, while I...

I was alone. I always was, and always will be. That was the simple fact of my life story.

The Fates must be having a grand old time figuring out which way to heartbreak Nico di Angelo day in and day out.

"Geez," He muttered, running a hand through his hair,"Need to talk about it?" "Let's just say that it was a contributing factor in my nightmare. Like I said before, talking isn't a strong suit of mine. I talk and feel more empty than when I started. That or I get angry." I explained, with a lame shrug, knowing my excuse wasn't up to par as it usually was. Will gave a small laugh. "I've seen you when you're angry, it isn't something I could forget."

Ah yes, I've already scared one of my only friends. Fan-fucking-tastic.

I was about to make a snarky remark when I noticed he shivered.

 _Is he shivering because he remembered me angry_? I thought, worried for a moment before I felt the cold wind bite through my jacket before I remembered Will was wearing barely anything but a sleeveless t-shirt and some sweatpants. I began to take it off when he held out his hands, "No, I'm not going to take your jacket."

"Will, I am more than okay with the cold. You, are not. You're a delicate little flower when it comes to the cold, so would you just take my jacket already?"

I put it in his hands, and he begrudgingly took it, slipping it onto himself.

Have to admit it, he pulled it off quite well. If he tried I'm sure he could pull off the grudge look, but his lop-sided grin, freckles, blond hair, and blue eyes would throw it off. "Won't you get cold? As your doctor I cannot allow that to happen." He said, and I laughed shaking my head, "I already told you I'm fine with the cold. Just be sure to return the jacket, I happen to be fond of the old thing." I told him with a pointed look and he shoved his hands into the deep pockets.

"I dunno, it's awfully comfortable." He stated, zipping it up as he shrugged.

"I will make skeletons dance outside of the Apollo cabin to dubstep if it's not back in my hands by tomorrow night." I told him, meaning every single word.

Dubstep was loud and obnoxious, but I would deal with it for the sake of my aviator jacket.

"Fine, since when did you become so demanding of the 'delicate flower'?" Will asked, holding back laughter as he grinned with definite dimples on his freckled cheeks. _Stop being so adorable, it's making it hard to argue with you_ _!_

"Since I loaned you my jacket." I retorted, with a puff of air in his direction.

Another small silence, and we looked up at the sky.

Peaceful, that was what it was. Friendly banter. I didn't have to pretend to be anything but myself around him, and it seemed like he was opening up to me as well. (For what reason I will never know.) "Feeling any better?" I asked him and he nudged my arm with his elbow. "Yeah. Next time you have a nightmare, come get me okay? Even if you don't want to talk, being alone after them is the worst thing you could do."

I nodded, agreeing with him fully. For so long I had nobody but myself, now...maybe that was changing.

"I will, Will. And vice versa?"

"Naturally." He replied, before standing up and he looked like he remembered something, "We have Capture the Flag tomorrow, better get some rest while we can." "I hope we're on the same team." I told him, standing up as well, dusting my pants off and he smiled.

Hearing me say that must have taken him by surprise. "Really?" "Yeah, I don't want to beat up my only friend." I told him, laughing, before I climbed down the vines.

He shook his head, laughing as well, before following me down.

"See you later in the morning, di Angelo." He said with a small wave. "And I you, delicate flower." I replied, snickering slightly as he sighed, but he couldn't hold back a smile as well.

Maybe it was that stupid grin that made me feel better, or cleared my head...but I slept without dreams when I went back to bed. I guess I owed the Son of Apollo a thank you in the morning.


	3. Jason Will Be the Death of Me

There was a knocking at my door and I groaned figuring Will was at the door, "Ugh. Let me sleep Will." I muttered, pulling my covers over my head, as the sunlight burned my eyes even from across the room.

The door to my cabin opened and I was slightly disappointed to find Jason Grace there with an amused expression, "I'm not Will, but I am going to wake you up like I did to him. He seemed dog tired."

"Dog tired? Gods, what century were you born in?" I mumbled, as I heard his footsteps come near my bed and I sat up with a groan, pulling the blankets off of myself, my mind swam and I felt disoriented.

"Funny, coming from you." He replied, adjusting his glasses that had been hanging on the tip of his nose, which he still seemed to be getting used to. "Shut up, Grace." I replied standing up as I stretched.

He rolled his eyes and crossed his muscular arms at me, "So, question time."

 _Here we go._ I thought, sighing slightly and he raised an eyebrow at me. "When I woke Will up, much to my surprise I found _your_ jacket on him." I stood up and frowned at him, "I loaned him my jacket because he was cold last night, do you have a point to this question?" I asked Jason, and he held up a hand defensively.

It wasn't his business. Maybe he felt it was because we were...friends? Or at least the closest thing to a friend that I had on the Argo II, but he wasn't my older sister, and I was still kind of touchy about talking to him about everything. Especially because he knew nearly everything there was to know about Nico di Angelo. He saw me when I was at my most vulnerable, when we met Cupid. The son of a bitch pulled out every emotion, leaving me feeling like I was drowning in an ocean with lead weights tied around my ankles. My past, my feelings, what I was thinking, everything was out on the table and Jason hadn't looked at me the same since.

"You talked last night? I saw you two at the pier, but you weren't wearing a jacket then, so did you talk last night?" He continued to pry and I strapped my Stygian Iron sword around my waist. "I had a nightmare. So did he, we talked for a while and he shivered so I gave him my jacket. What's the big deal?" I asked him and he held up a hand, smiling innocently, the crescent scar on his moth twisting and he had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"No big deal, no big deal at all.

There was a pause and his smile faded slightly to a bittersweet smile. "Nico, tomorrow Piper and I are going to go to the orientation at our school…after that when I come back in the summer I'll be going back and forth from camps so I won't be around much and I just wanted to formally say goodbye now." "Well, I wish you luck." I replied, school wasn't a strong suit of mine, never was and never will be.

Perhaps if there was a strong reason for me to go, or if there was something interesting rather than learning about brain numbingly dull subjects I would be decent but I've been so out of the loop for the past three or four years that it would be difficult to go back to it.

He nodded and looked at me, suddenly flashing an easy grin, winking, "I wish you luck with your _friend_." "I hate you, Grace." I replied, scowling and he laughed, "Love you too Nico."

Why is it that every guy I know is extremely aggravating?

We headed to the Dining Pavilion and Jason went to go sit at the Zeus table alone, while I went to the Hades table.

I felt somebody tap on my shoulder soon after and was not surprised to see the familiar face of Will Solace smiling at me with my jacket in his right hand.

"I believe I owe you this." He told me, and I took my jacket from him with a nod, "Thanks Will." He gave me another smile before heading off to go sit with his siblings. I set the jacket on the empty space next to me as I found my eyes following him as he left.

He smiled so much it's like he was giving them away, like he had enough smiles to spare. Or maybe it was so that his siblings wouldn't worry about the guilt he had. Like Leo, he seemed good at hiding what pain he felt. The main difference between the two of them: Will found it easier to talk about, and he was better with people.

No offense to Leo, but he was a natural mechanic, not a social guy.

Suddenly a memory that had long been forgotten had come back to me as I thought back to him, and Will and such.

It was the week in which Bianca had become a Hunter, and she, Grover, Zoe, Percy, and Thalia had left for their quest to go out west and would eventually find the Titan Atlas…all of them except Bianca that is.

I was sitting by the archery curse, my eleven year old mind was excited about the fact that my life had practically turned into my favorite game (maybe still favorite…but don't say that to anybody), Mythlomagic. Then there was the other fact that my sister had practically abandoned me to go parading off with a bunch of immortal girls, and had only given me a skull ring before she left.

"Hey, you're the new kid, Nico di Angelo, right?" A voiced asked from behind me, a boy my age eleven or twelve, with a bow and quiver was looking at me curiously. He had medium length shaggy blond hair and gentle blue eyes, and some freckles on his cheeks. "That's me." I replied and he looked around, "Say, you had a sister right? Where's she?" "She's on the quest." I mumbled, my mood dampening, though I had complete faith Percy would keep her safe.

He nodded and pulled a bow out of his quiver before taking a shot at one of the targets before muttering something under his breath. "Michael can shoot a bulls-eye, why can't I?" He muttered, pouting slightly.

We hadn't talked much after that, but the fact that I had forgotten that struck me surprised.

Some pancakes were on my plate and I had eaten around half of one of them, before sacrificing the rest of them to the gods. "You didn't eat much," Will said beside me as he put his food into the fire as well. "I wasn't hungry," I stated walking away.

Chiron cleared his throat, and held up a hand, "Before anybody goes to their activities," He looked at me, as I passed the crack in the floor which was on the edge of the pavilion that I may have created, "The teams for Capture the Flag have already been split up. The blue team will be Zeus, Aphrodite," Well at least Jason wouldn't have to worry about possibly beating up his girlfriend, Piper, "Nike, Ares, Demeter, Hypnos, Hecate, and Dionysus. The red team will be Hades, Hephaestus, Athena, Hebe, Apollo, Tyche, Hermes, and Nemesis."

The youngest of the Hephaestus cabin, Harley, bounced up and down with excitement. "Nyssa, can I use my new flamethrower?!" He asked with a maniacal grin, Leo would be proud. "So long as you don't kill anybody, sure." She replied, ruffling his hair as she walked away.

Chiara Benvenuti, from the Tyche (goddess of luck) cabin looked at me, "You'll be on offensive with me I take it?" She asked, and pointed at me, "Because I have a gut feeling you'll be good on it, call it a lucky guess."

She had a habit of saying everything she thought would be good was a "lucky guess", I blame her mom.

Piper passed me and stopped, "You ready for tonight?" "Always, don't hold back." I replied, and she laughed, her eyes changing from blue to green. "Since when have I ever?" She replied as Jason walked up beside her, draping his arm around her.

"So...you and," he nodded to the Apollo cabin, "him will be on the same team, huh?"

I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt and put my hand on my sword's hilt. "I know what you're getting at Jason, and I will hit you so hard upside the head with this sword tonight if you say anything else."

Piper grinned as if she knew what we were talking about.

The little (actually not so little, have you seen his muscles? _Damn_. ) shit must have told her about me giving my jacket to him! Come on!

My jacket which was hanging over my shoulder with my left hand on it, and smelled like the forest wood from him sleeping in it…

 _Stop it Nico, dammit!_ I thought, shaking my head.

Jason laughed, and walked away humming to himself and Piper, "Nico and Will, sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-"

"I can hear you, Grace!" I yelled, and he looked at me over his shoulder, "I know!"

My blood boiled slightly, as I could feel a blush crawling up my cheeks involuntarily. Why did Jason think that I would fall for Will and that stupid adorable smile of his?! The fact that he wanted us to get together made me almost certain that it wouldn't happen, if my luck withheld.

"Nico, the grass around your feet is dead again." Will said. _Speak of the devil and he shall appear._ My thoughts echoed as I looked at the ground to find the grass wilting.

"Gah! Come on!" A Demeter camper yelled, shaking their hand at me, "What did the grass ever do to you?!"

I looked at Will and pointed to my cabin, "I better run before this Demeter kid kills me."

He laughed, shaking his head at me, as I sprinted towards my cabin. Those kids can be scary when you mess with those plants, if I wasn't careful I could make up and find grass sprouting out of my clothes as revenge for the grass I killed myself. Hell hath no fury like an angry vegetarian's wrath, not that all Demeter kids are vegetarians…

I'll stop talking.


	4. Catpure the Flag and Emtional Patch Ups

That evening, after dinner, the Hades, Hephaestus, Athena, Hebe, Apollo, Tyche, Hermes, and Nemesis cabins rounded up outside of the woods and we tried to make a strategy.

Key word: _tried_.

Connor Stoll and Malcom from the Athena cabin were arguing.

"You can't just say: 'I'll hit them upside the head.' Connor, we need a plan!" Malcolm exclaimed, throwing his hands up as Chiara, Will, Nyssa, and I stood off to the side, trying to avoid their pointless argument. "Well it's _worked_ before!" Connor yelled back, before grabbing a shield as he tried to hit Malcolm.

Their arguing was giving me a headache.

"Cut it out!" I yelled, stepping in between the two before I yanked the shield out of Connor's hands and hit him in the stomach with it. "You're being childish!" I hit Malcolm in his shoulder as well, "And you should keep a level head!"

I dropped the shield and folded my arms across my chest as I walked back to the other three with a disgruntled sigh. The daughter of Tyche eyes me warily, "Remind me not to get on your bad side." Chiara told me, giving me a cautious sideways glance as she leaned on one of the trees.

Even though I was generally accepted, there was no getting out of getting apprehensiveness and wariness from the campers. Not that I cared, it was just isolating.

After around fifteen minutes we had split up everybody into general positions. Nyssa, Chiara, Will, and I were on offensive decoy position. Paolo Montes, a Brazilian demigod who was the son of Hebe (goddess of youth) was on defense with Malcolm, Connor, and Damien (son of Nemesis who showed up a few days ago.)

Paolo looked around at us and I explained to him where he would be. He nodded, but let out a sigh and crossed his arms. "Eu queria dar um soco alguém."

Being as though I could speak fluently in Italian, and bits and pieces of Spanish I figured it was along the lines of him wanting to punch somebody. "You'll get your chance one day, Paolo." "Obrigado." He smiled, then put a hand on my shoulder, and I supposed he was thanking me.

There was the sound of a horn blowing and I looked up at Zeus's Fist, where our flag was planted.

"Go." Malcolm said, pointing in front of him, and I waved a hand dismissively, "Alright."

We headed off and were about four minutes into the woods when Chiara clapped her hands together, "I'm excited!"

"Is the term: ' _stealth_ ' a foreign concept to you?" I whispered with a raised eyebrow, and she shrugged, "I don't need-"

I glared at her, "If you say you don't need that because you have luck I'll push you into the creek myself." I told her, with a deep frown as I pulled out my Stygian Iron sword.

Like usual, it made the air around it colder, but I didn't mind, it often focused me. Will was silent as a cat, with a quiet tread over the forest floor. Nyssa, was slightly less quiet, but her eyes were wide and alert and at least she was trying to make an effort to be silent.

Chiara suddenly stopped and held out a hand. "I have a bad feeling."

Less than a minute later we heard the voice of Lou Ellen, from the Hecate cabin, Holly, and Laurel Victor from around fifty yards away. Either they didn't care if they were heard or they were even worse with hiding where they were than Chiara was.

Will grinned, and tapped Nyssa's arm, "You have your net, right?" "You're thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked him, with a fire glowing behind her eyes, it seemed like something that seemed to run with being a child of the blacksmith god.

The Son of Apollo looked at me for a moment and walked over, crouching down beside me before whispering into my ear, "I'll lead them on a chase and once we get to a clearing Nyssa will trap all three of them with her net. Be careful, since I won't be around to make sure you don't hurt yourself."

There was a teasing grin on his face and I rolled my eyes, shoving his shoulder lightly. "I'll be fine, Solace, get a move on. You be careful too." I added, just as a side note.

That idiot's smile could light up a stormy afternoon.

 _Stop it Nico. You're playing Capture the Flag. Think shadows, the night, darkness, not Wil- goddamn-Solace._ I thought, shaking my head as the two sprinted off through the woods. The trees seemed to reach out and swallow them in the dim light. Maybe that's what my shadow travel resembled to people.

The two of us, Chiara and I, soon set off through the woods before getting to the river where Jason and Piper were standing.

"I figured you would be on offense." Jason said, with a slightly triumphant smile like he had won the lottery or something as we stepped into the clearing. Piper looked at Chiara, trying to figure out if she could work her charmspeak on her.

Suddenly, a look of horror passed over Chiara's face as she looked up at the sky, she pointed up and gasped. "Holy Hephaestus, what is _that_?!" She exclaimed, and I admit, even I fell for her act.

In a blur, she had darted across the river and pulled out her sword before knocking her in the head with it. "Yes!" She exclaimed, fist-bumping the air.

She would have made a damn good daughter of Hermes.

Then Jason flipped his coin in the air and it extended into a javelin, he grabbed it as it fell and swung it at her.

The girl was so busy fist bumping the air she hadn't seen the shaft of the javelin coming in her direction as it slammed into her chest and knocked her into a tree. "Will can patch her up after this." I said with a nonchalant shrug, there was a knot forming on her head, but other than that she seemed (hopefully) fine. I pity the headache she was most likely having at that moment. She and Piper weren't going anywhere, and it seemed they had a concussion at the worst.

"But for now, you have me to worry about." I told Jason, pointing my sword at him. Jason sighed, "I don't want to fight you, even if it is for a game," The end of the javelin dipped towards the ground and it was just out of reach so that I couldn't knock it out of his hands with the end of my sword. _Damn_. "You didn't seem to have a problem knocking her into a tree." I noted, and rolled my eyes, "Don't treat me any different because of what's in the past. We live _now._ You can't dwell on memories or else they'll consume you, and you won't be able to see what's coming next." I told him.

Lucky for me, he was under a grove of trees with darkness surrounding him, and I willed the shadows to envelop me behind him.

It happened in the blink of an eye and he was too stunned to move before he realized that my sword was against his throat. "Like _that_ for example, now come on, you're a prisoner in the game." I said, with a smirk.

For once, I felt like I had control over something, which was a rare occurrence so I was feeling elated. Jason Grace, former praetor Camp Jupiter, Hero of Olympus, of son of Jupiter, and I had him under my palm.

As I was walking back, I ran into Will (naturally), and he gawked. "Almighty Apollo, how did you-" "He caught me off guard. Stupid shadow travel." Jason muttered, pushing his glasses farther up his nose as he shook his pale blond hair in shame and I held back a laugh.

When we got back to camp Nyssa was waiting and I handed off Jason before Will grinned at me, "Want to try and grab the flag?" He asked, using his arm to lean on me like I was an armrest. I threw off his arm with a pointed gaze. I'm the Son of Hades, the Ghost King, people don't use me as an armrest! Even so...I nodded, "Fine, you aren't scared of the dark are you?" I asked him and he raised a dirty brown eyebrow at me, seemingly confused.

It looked like the gears in his brain stopped, "Um...no...?" I grabbed his arm (trying to be be forceful seeing as though he was a 'delicate flower') and closed my eyes, going to shadow travel again.

Being as though it wasn't far to the creek, it didn't drain me to do it twice in a day. A hand grabbed onto me and it was obvious that it was Will, when we finally came back into the light I found his eyes were shut. After I poked his cheek with an eye roll he opened an eye before shaking his hands as he looked around. "Okay, now I know why you asked...geez, I couldn't handle doing that day in and day out." He muttered, with a slight shiver whereas I simply shrugged.

Darkness, and shadows had become a second home for me, however isolating and bone chilling they were...They were my birthright.

"And isn't it cheating to shadow travel?" He asked me, regaining his usual annoying stubbornness, and I sighed. "Technically no, and to even out the playing grounds even more so I didn't travel past the creek, which was where I last was, Will."

Then, I heard a voice. "You two bicker so loudly I can't believe you hadn't noticed us sooner." Holly Victor said, and I felt like hitting my head on a nearby tree. How stupid could I have been?!

"Thanks Nico." Will said, suppressing a grin, and my scowl grew as I poked him in the side with the tip of my sword, making him jump back. He rubbed his side, with a dramatic gasp and I frowned. "Will, I will push you into this creek if you don't shut up."

Holly laughed and cracked her knuckles, "Ah you two, I'd love to stay and chat but a flag and victory is calling me name!" Laurel, her sister, ran past her but stopped, not able to quit her bragging, "I'll beat you there!"

This thankfully, gave me time to run up between them and flip Laurel. Holly stared at me, surprised for a moment before she pulled out her knife, "Only _I_ can beat my sister!" I paused for a moment, and poked Laurel's side with my black Converse, she groaned in reply. _Ha._

"Hm, I dunno, I think I just did." I muttered, looking at the other sister with a small shrug, not able to stop from smirking.

Holly yelled in outrage and slashed at me with her knife. I hadn't seen the knife, and we were at such close quarters that she got a hit on my left arm. By hit, I mean a gash that felt warm with blood. It stung, and I grabbed my arm, when I pulled my hand back it was stained with red.

"Nico!" Will yelled, and he made a signal to cover my ears. He prepared to use his supersonic whistle (or whatever it's called.)

Luckily I was able to cover my ears before his mind splitting whistle echoed around us, crippling her. "Agh!"

She yelled, stumbling into the river where she slipped and fell. "I think I'll just lay here for a while." She muttered, dragging herself out of the creek and onto dry land waving a hand at me as she blacked out.

Will ran over and hastily looked at my arm, tapping it with his index finger. I winced as he knit his eyebrows together, "I told you to be careful." He muttered, frowning at me and I rolled my eyes, he was worried. That was obvious.

I sighed and shrugged his arm back, the cut had focused me oddly enough. It stung like fire when he had touched it. "I'm fine, let's get the flag so that you can get me proper medical treatment."

Now, I was rambling, but I didn't like to see that look of worry in his pale blue eyes. It made my heart sink.

It stung like fire still, but it was bearable. Plus, I used my right arm when fighting with my sword so it wasn't that big of a loss in that sense.

"Handy trick by the way, that whistle." I whispered as we started to snake through the woods once more and he shrugged in reply, running a hand through his sandy hair. "I don't like using it."

We crouched behind some bushes, hearing voices very close by, the foliage had hidden us.

Then there was the flag, just _sitting_ there!

The Demeter and Ares cabin were arguing and I started forward when Will shook his head and nodded back in the direction of our flag. "I'll meet you at the creek, besides I run faster that you anyway." He murmured, and I let out a soft breath. "Okay, see you there." If he wanted to get the flag, then so be it.

As I ran to the creek I felt something in the pit of my stomach, what was it? Was I sick? I felt like hitting a tree or running back to see Will. That was when I realized it.

 _Wait, no. I can't fall for him. I don't want to be hurt again, and I don't want to lose him anyhow. We just started to talk, you can't mess this up._ I thought, shaking my head.

They say you can't chose who you fall in love with but I prayed to Aphrodite that I wouldn't fall in love with him, it would spare everybody.

The creek was silent, Holly and Laurel were nowhere to be seen, the same could be said for Chiara and Piper. Perhaps Chiron had took them so that they could get medical attention, or wouldn't get hurt more. I'd have to apologize to them later, I guess I could have lightened up on them...

"Nico!" Will yelled, his eyes practically glowing with excitement as he sprinted past me with the flag in his hands, it flapping behind him, before he leaped over the creek and landed in a cat-like way, landing a with a crouch. He planted the flag in the ground looking like he was on top of the world. "We did it!" He exclaimed, then glanced down at me arm."I almost forgot!" He exclaimed, jogging through the creek to get back to me, a look of guilt on his face from the fact that he had forgotten.

The two teams were now in the starting to arrive in the clearing and Will was awfully close to me now, with his hand reaching out for my arm. I held up a hand, taking a step back as I avoided looking at him. "I'll be fine for now, okay? Let's just make sure everybody's accounted for."

It seemed everybody was, and Jason promptly ran off to see how Piper was doing.

People often say that their relationship was built on a lie (his amnesia), but Jason decided who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Piper did the same. If you could see the way that they looked at each other you would know that they're one of the strongest couples. Percy and Annabeth have the closest bond I have ever seen though. Frank and Hazel are so sweet, Frank will treat her well. That I know. (If he didn't I would have... "words" with the Son of Mars.) They've all done so much for each other...I doubt anybody would fall to Tartarus for me.

Nyssa clapped Will and I on the shoulder, making me wince. "Good job guys-holy schist, you need to get that checked out!" She told me looking at my arm and Will folded his arms at me. " _Mhm_. What did I tell you?"

"Technically you didn't tell me anything, I just told you to hold off for a minute." I replied with a slight frown, making him roll his eyes as he put his hand on my good shoulder, leading me out of the woods. I could swear there were a few sets of eyes watching us as we left...

At the infirmary, I was sat down on one of the cots near the entrance with a few torches blazing around us and crackling ever so softly. The sun had set already and constellations were glimmering in the skies. The one of Zoe caught my eyes as I looked out of the window in the infirmary. It felt like somebody had rubbed sandpaper over my gash suddenly. "Ugh, watch it would you, Will!" I exclaimed, my arm jerking reflexively. It seemed like we were the only people here in the infirmary.

Will rolled his eyes as he held a bottle of disinfectant. "Don't be a baby, okay? I have to do this or else you'll get an infection. Obviously you don't want to be in infirmary with me for too long so I'll do it quickly." He added, his last sentence quieter and had a bit more frost to it than the first as he pulled out some stitches. "This'll hurt, so I'll give you some ambrosia beforehand. Just talk to me to keep your mind off of it." He said, avoiding my gaze and I quickly downed an ambrosia square.

He picked up a needle and silently pocked the thread through the hole like he had done it hundreds of time before. He didn't look me in the face, only looking at my arm, apparently the cut was deeper than I had previously thought. "What did you mean, I don't want to be in the infirmary with you for too long?" I asked him, quoting his sentence from earlier and he sighed before pulling the first stitch through.

I gripped the edge of the cot. _Damn it, why is it so painful?_

"Well, I was walking towards you when everybody else came into the creek. You seized up and took a step away from me like you didn't want to be seen with me. I mean I get it if you don't, a Son of Hades seen with the Son of Apollo..."

My breaths were short as he continued to work and I spoke through gritted teeth, staring at one of the torches surrounding us. "It's complicated Will." "How so? We have time, I'm not even halfway done with your stitches and I have to bandage your arm too."

He explained, with a shrug, his grip shifting slightly on my arm. I took a deep shaky breath, speaking through my teeth, "I don't hate you, if that's what you're thinking. I just don't want to-..."

I cut myself off and wasn't able to finish the sentence. "Jason told me you liked Percy a while back. Are you scared that I would run off or be scared because of who you liked?" Will asked, and looked directly at me now, as he finished the stitches. "I don't know," I admitted, my voice shaking,"I don't want to hurt anybody, if it means hurting myself to keep it from happening, then so be it."

His eyes fell, then he took a deep breath, pulling out the bandages. "That isn't a healthy way to think."

"Since when have I had a healthy way of thinking?" I asked, shaking slightly, I didn't even try and force myself to laugh, "Will, if you don't stop making me talk about stuff like this I may hurt you unintentionally."

He glanced up at me as he pulled the thread through one of the stitches, "Better than hurting yourself. I'm a doctor, I'm supposed to help you, and if it means getting hurt in the process then so be it."

He didn't understand, _nobody_ did.

I rubbed my temples, the emotions welling inside of me making my vision blurry with tears, the cut I could handle, stitches were no problem, but talking about myself was hell on Earth.

Fear, anger, sadness, nostalgia, regret, everything I try to suppress every day. "You're impossible. You don't get it at all, Will." He looked at me with a blank stare. "Explain it to me then." I covered my face with my hand, trying to keep from crying.

Now, I don't do that, crying, in front of people, and I didn't want to start now.

With difficulty I managed to say: "I'm tired, tired of being scared of how I feel and all I end up doing is bringing pain to others..." My voice was barely above a whisper, my throat closed up from trying to keep from crying and Will finished up bandaging me up.

 _Why am I being so emotional, confiding in a guy I've been friends with for less than a month_? I wondered the realized maybe it was because I had been so alone that now that I had somebody I could confide in it was all coming out and it was a mess.

He was sitting in front of me in his chair now, looking down at me, and I knew he was waiting for me to remove my hand. But if I did that I would have a breakdown. I couldn't have that. Bad things happened when my emotions went out of check.

Silence...

"Nico, you can cry around me." He told me, moving from his chair in front of me to the empty spot on the cot to my right before he put his hands on my own and I shook my head. "No I-" "Nico...Let me help you." He said again, in a gentle voice as soft as a breeze in the fall. He pulled down my hand with his calloused one and I felt his arm around my shoulder in a comforting way.

 _I'm here, okay? I'm not leaving_. His eyes seemed to say.

How could he be so gentle with somebody like me? Somebody who could bring death with a single touch. Him being so caring made me feel guilt, I was responsible for so much, and in my eyes it seemed more bad than good...made me lose it.

My shoulders shook with my sobs as I closed my eyes, and the ground began to shake as my pain rolled over me like the cold waves of an ocean in the winter. He looked at me with his eyebrows knit together in concern, and there seemed to be something behind his eyes. Was it anger? "I can't believe how much you've gone through...how the gods thought they could put that much responsibility on your shoulders..." "Will, how can you be there for me? Somebody you still barely know?" I asked, my hands shaking as I was unable to look anywhere else.

There was a pause and he seemed to be trying to think of a response. "All we are, all humans are...we're broken people, trying to put the pieces of other broken people back together." He mused, and I glanced up at him, he was looking at me quietly and let out a soft breath, dipping his head slightly. "You don't deserve to be broken, and if I can to anything to try and heal somebody else I will give it my all. I'm not going to let you scatter your broken pieces more, and if it comes to the worst I'll give you my pieces."

My mind went blank. I didn't think people as selfless as he was still existed, yet he didn't try to go on any big escapades. He didn't ask for glory, he was perfectly fine with staying on the sidelines.

"Why is it whenever we're alone it and in some emotional confession?" I said dumbly, trying for a laugh as I wiped the tears off of my cheeks with the back of my hand and Will took his arm back.

If I could mentally facepalm myself out of existence I sure would have in that moment. Was it just me or did his cheeks seem red despite the torches. "Haha, yeah." He said, and I stood up. "I'd better get back to my cabin, the harpies may try and give me some more injuries if I'm out late." I told him pulling myself together, trying for a way to get out of that awkward situation.

Will nodded, then stood up as well, rubbing his neck, seemingly feeling just as uncomfortable ( _good going Nico)_. "Uh, yeah...sure. See you later." He gave me a half-hearted smile and I felt my stomach sink.

 _Dammit, why can't you even make an exit without somebody feeling uncomfortable?!_ I yelled at myself, wanting to jump head first off of the top of the lava wall. I gave him my usual one handed wave before turning around as I walked to the Hades Cabin.

As soon as I couldn't see the light coming from the torches that shined behind the figure of Will Solace who was leaning on the doorway, I sprinted.


	5. Myabe Anger Management Would Be Good

Days passed, and I couldn't bring myself to talk to Will. Having a breakdown like that didn't happen to me, least in front of people...he saw me like that and I freaked out, and wasn't sure what to say.

"Hey, lovely day it is, would you mind not mentioning that breakdown I had the other day but I'd like to talk to you and just be normal for once, sound good?"

"Hey, you're mentally stable, I'm not, want to climb the lava wall with me?"

"Such a lovely day, I'm not going to have a breakdown, sound good? Want to go spar out on the basketball court?"

Any of the greeting I came up with made me want to hit my head on the wall of the Hades Cabin out of misery.

It was nearing a week since we had spoke, Jason left along with Piper to some school in L.A. California, so that meant I was more isolated. Around two days after my breakdown, I couldn't handle the silence and asked Nyssa for something to make white noise. The following evening she handed me what looked like an IPOD, and gave me a small smile. "I already hooked up a sound system in there, it'll play whatever you need to hear at the time. If multiple people are in the room it'll play what fits the mood." "Thanks." I replied, gratefully, though I couldn't bring myself to smile.

Smiling is weird, least for me. Other people seem to do it so easily, but it felt like when I did it it became creepy.

I was laying in bed, that late afternoon with my hands behind my head as I stared up at the ceiling, which glittered with jewels as _Trade Mistakes_ , by _Panic! At the Disco_ played around in the cabin.

 _"_ _If I ever leave you I could learn to miss you."_

It seemed off that this song was playing, when I noticed a figure in the open doorway. The air was cooling so I had it open, Will was leaning there with a mellow look on his face. "I was wondering when you would notice me." He replied, and I shrugged, "This music didn't seem to fit my mood."

 _"_ _Let me save you..."_

"Hm, Nyssa give you one of the mood music things?" He asked walking in as he sat on a nearby bed.

There seemed to be an oddly large amount of beds for this cabin. I doubted father had many kids, he undoubtedly didn't have only Hazel and I, there was bound to be at least _one_ other child of Hades and/or Pluto in the world, but there was at least eight beds in this cabin. They seemed to remind me just how utterly lonely my life truly was. We stayed silent, listening to the final chorus of the song, and I closed my eyes.

 _"_ _I may never sleep tonight_

 _As long as you're still burning bright._

 _If I could trade mistakes for sheep,_

 _Count me away before you sleep._

 _I'll still wait till I trade my mistakes_

 _So they fade away."_

After hearing that last line I realized it hit a little _too_ close to home, and I turned it down to the next song was only a faint murmur. "So, why'd you drop by?" I asked Will, opening one eye to glance over at him and he looked right back. "I had a question." He stated and I felt myself visibly cringing.

That one simple statement made me want to draw the covers over my head and drown out his voice with the music, that question could be anything and I wasn't sure I wanted to know it anymore. It's like saying: "We need to talk." Aka: Code Red, get the hell out of there.

Nonetheless I closed my eyes again but took a hand out from behind my head, "I'm not going anywhere, ask away," I muttered, and I heard him shift on the bed. "Okay..."

Silence for a minute.

"Are you mad at me?" He finally asked, taking me by surprise. Why would I be mad? I sat up and looked at him, raising an eyebrow, "Will-"

He sighed and gave me a knowing look like it was obvious as the freckles on his nose. "You haven't talked to me in days, at first I thought it was because you were being dense with your feelings again," He paused and I shot him a scowl.

"Would you quit calling me dense?" "The fact that you said that you don't want to be called dense proves, in fact, that you are dense. So no, I won't." He wasn't smiling like he normally would be though, wracking my nerves.

Will continued on, "But then I remembered, I basically made you talk about everything, which would entail every right to be mad at me." He finished, and looked at me with a look of regret, like a defendant waiting to hear from a judge's verdict. "No. I'm not. It's just-"

 _There you go again, with "just"._ I thought. _Just, just, just_.

"I didn't know how to approach you, that's the simplest way to put it." I finally said, rubbing my neck as I looked at the dark cherry hardwoods floors. "That's it?" He asked, propping his chin up on his hand, "Here I was thinking you had this big, long complicated reason as to why you weren't talking to me." He muttered.

I let out a sigh and looked at him, "You aren't going to make me get up and walk around like you did before, will you?" He shook his head, "I'm not feeling like doing that either. How about we just ask each other questions to get to know each other better?"

He had his legs crossed on the bunks, his brown sandals hanging off of the side of the bed. It didn't seem as if he was planning on leaving any time soon.

The song had changed, _Trees_ by _Twenty One Pilots_ started to play. He looked at me as if waiting for approval to start and I waved a hand, rolling my eyes. "Fine, fine. But I'm counting that as one of your questions." He laughed, flashing his regular smile at me.

It looked like when he smiled his eyes got smaller, it was also pretty endearing, that smile of his. "Alright, di Angelo. I'll go again then. What are your plans for the future?" A sigh escaped me and I bit my lip in thought, before frowning. "Aren't these starter questions supposed to be easy?" "You never specified on what the rules were Nico." He replied, shrugging slightly. "But _you_ came up with it!" I exclaimed, irritated, and he laughed. "Your point?"

 _This boy is impossible_ , I decided shaking my head before I drew in a deep breath.

"I never gave it much thought in all honesty, I never thought I would live this long." I told him and he raised an eyebrow at me curiously. "Because of the gods and monsters?" _I wish_.

Something in me couldn't lie to him flat-out, so I just shrugged.

When I said I was going to disappear two weeks ago during the battle with Gaea, I hadn't meant getting a nice little house in Italy and living out my life away from everybody here. I wasn't planning on permanently living in the Underworld as my father's son. I would be among the souls who would be going to be judged in the Underworld. Death.

"Could you explain?" He asked me, narrowing his eyes at me and I shook my head. "I think it's my turn for a question."

Will licked the inside of his lip in a doubtful way, and I knew this wouldn't be the last time I heard of this matter. Fun.

"Why do you stick around me?" I asked him, dreading asking it as soon as it had left my mouth. My brain and mouth didn't seem to want to work in sync, I _wanted_ to ask something simpler but my mouth decided it wanted to be a little shit and ask something else. It felt like one of those dumb comments people make in school and immediately regret, when they sink into their desk making themselves as little as possible. Only I couldn't do that, dammit.

He sat up a little straighter, "Didn't you remember what I told you? That, and you were a mystery, a scary mystery most people didn't even know how to approach. You seemed lost so lost and I couldn't help but take the job. Nobody else seemed to want to." "Sorry for being a burden." I retorted, with a scoff, trying to hide how his words stabbed me like a knife.

I was a pity case, which was why he stuck around.

If I were to die, or kill myself somehow he would feel responsible and it would look bad on him. That was it!

Now my pain felt like it turned to anger, as I stood up. "If I'm such a hard job to keep track of then why don't I just make it easier on you and tell you to get out of my cabin." My voice was colder than ice as I said it, and his eyes widened and he stood up as well, holding out his hands apologetically. "No, Nico, I didn't mean it that way!" No, those thoughts don't just come from nowhere. "Just go." "Nico-" "I said go!" I exclaimed, grabbing him by his collar as I pulled him down. "I don't like repeating myself, Solace." His face fell as I took my hand back, looking at the ground.

That was easier than seeing the dejected, crestfallen look he was wearing. "Okay…" He left without another word.

 _Nothing Left to Say_ by _Imagine Dragons_ started to play.

" _Who knows how long,_ _I've been awake now?_

 _The shadows on my walls don't sleep,_

 _They keep calling me,_

 _Beckoning._

 _Who knows_

 _What's right?_

 _The lines keep getting thinner._

 _My ages has never made me wise."_

By this point in the song I was shaking I threw the remote that controlled it across the room, thankfully turning off the song that seemed to mirror what I was dealing with. The nostalgic sound made me remember my fight with Cupid.

Cupid (the bastard) would be laughing at my anguish now, my feelings towards the Son of Apollo were so convoluted that I'm not sure Aphrodite herself would know what to make of it.

That night, when everybody headed to dinner I stayed in the cabin. I didn't want to move, I didn't want to do anything. Why was it that I got my hopes up only to have them stanched up again? I wanted a friend, I got one, but it was only out of pity. A job that had to be done. A blemish on his record. It felt like a slap to the face, which certainly would have hurt less.

Why did I ever care so much about Will, and what his motives as to why he wanted to be my friend were? I should never have even asked. I didn't _want_ to ask, but I did, now here were the horrible results.

Call me a primadona, I don't care anymore.

There was a knock at my door, (which I had slammed shut after throwing the remote across the cabin.) I glared at the door, and stood behind it. "I'm not opening up, Will." I growled, and there was a faint, deep chuckle from the other side. "Would you open up if it weren't Will?" Chiron was standing in the doorway, no wheelchair, and full centaur.

His beard was starting to grow out again and he had amusement in his eyes. "Walk with me," He requested, nodding over to the amphitheater.

It was impossible to refuse something from Chiron; he never forced, and rarely required you to do many things of his request so when he did it was always slightly startling. At least for somebody who he rarely spoke to it was.

I sighed, and grabbed my Stygian Iron sword from where it was leaned against the wall on the right side of the door, and strapped it on before giving a silent nod.

"Will seemed troubled earlier," He started, making me want to go back to my cabin to avoid this talk, "would you mind to enlighten me?" He asked, in a parental tone and I knew exactly what his plan was.

Solace had already told him his side of the story, so no matter what I said it would be overlooked, it was a typical parent mood. Getting both sides of the stories, but only believing the first one that they heard.

"You've already heard it from him, why are you asking me?" I asked him, looking up at him unable to stop from clenching my hands into fists. Chiron looked down at me before he looked ahead. "Perceptive of you, but I can't give the two of you advice if I've only heard his version of what happened."

Great, now Chiron probably thinks I'm a temperamental fourteen year old demigod.

Regardless, I explained what had happened, my thoughts, why I had gotten mad, all while keeping my voice even through gritted teeth.

We had arrived at the amphitheater and he looked down at it with a soft sigh. "Nico, you felt like he objectified you?" "Yes! I could handle myself without him!" I grumbled, crossing my arms as I looked over my shoulder at the Dining Pavilion. Cabin Seven wasn't in view, but I knew if I raised my voice and caught anybody's attention Will's freckled face would appear.

"You both are at fault; he should have worded it better. On that note, it was an honest mistake. He was simply saying how you tend to give off an air that is disconcerting to people who are new to you. You did overreact, as much as I hate to say that, you have to get your temper under control, my boy. It will hurt others, and yourself." He explained, in a calm but concerned tone.

 _Overreacted?! Me?! No, I-…okay. Maybe he's right_.

"I know." I admitted, kicking a stray pebble as I put by hand on the grip on my blade. "I've never been good at apologizing." I added, and Chiron put his hand on my shoulder, making me still as a statue.

Most of the elder people I knew wouldn't be this fatherly towards me; they either treated me like a kid, a soldier, or a tool. A hand on my shoulder seemed like an oddly, comforting gesture.

"He'll understand. Please don't go talking around the other campers about this, I normally don't talk about what others have come to me for advice about…but he worries about you. He worries about what would happen if you're alone for too long, and he wants to be there for you but you aren't letting him in."

 _I tend to do that_.

Walls were easier than being open and vulnerable to whatever the world wants to throw at you. Walls protect you. People only end up hurting you in the end. Countless monsters have fallen at my hand, but the worst monsters I've faced hadn't been of the mythological kind. People hide what their true intentions are better than any witch, Titan, or Giant.

"I don't know how to." I answered, gritting my teeth. People were too complicated. Maybe I was the complicated one. Maybe a bit of both. "Campfires bring people together. Start there." He advised with a twinkle in his eyes, like he knew something I didn't.

I always wondered if he could tell the future, maybe he's has so many secrets he's able to tell others just on inference. "Did he say anything else…?" I asked him, before he started to walk away with a knowing smile. "I suppose you'll have to ask the Son of Apollo yourself."

Damn, he did know something.

Campfire came around only thirty minutes after that, with the stars glittering above everybody, everybody was normally quiet now that there were only around two dozen campers at most. It was a calming place where the fire glowed a blue gray, and Will sat down without even noticing me.

(Then again, I was leaned against a column in the shadows as usual.)

His face was trained on the fire, deep in thought. His siblings were leading the rest of the campers in a campfire song that made just enough noise so that he didn't hear me walking over to him.

"Will…I owe you an apology. I overreacted." I told him in a low voice, unable to quite look him in the eyes, but I knew he was looking at me in shock.

I know, Nico di Angelo, apologizing? Who would have thought, certainly not this guy. (*jabs thumb at self*) "I owe you an apology too-"

 _Stop being so nice, it's my turn to apologize, shut up_. I thought as I shook my head, "No, it's fine really, I get what you were trying to say now. No need for any apologizing." I quickly told him, holding up a hand, and he let out a laugh. "Are you sure, because I can apologize at any moment."

Then he paused and let out a louder laugh, making some people around us stare. "I guess you could say I could… _apollo_ gize." "Will Solace I will not hesitate to throw you into the fire." I told him, frowning deeply.

That pun was so bad it made _me_ want to jump into the fire.

He clapped a hand on my shoulder, yet it somehow seemed different from how Chiron had done it. Not in a bad way of course. "Glad to see you're back to your old self, with your threats and all. They're adorable." He said and my mind blanked.

"What?" I asked, not sure if I had heard that right. Me, Nico di Angelo, "adorable"? Not in a million years, my friend.

"What, what?" He asked, playing coy, but I could tell there was a slight blush crawling on his cheeks. Maybe he had meant to say something else and adorable came out. That was it.

I still kind of wanted to hear him say it again though, I raised an eyebrow at him and scowled. "What was that last comment, Will?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Nico." He replied with an innocent smile, devil horns may as well have been glittering on his head.

Things were normal again. Thank the gods. Will was his usual annoyingly endearing self, and I was his friend still.


	6. I Get My Doctor's Note

A month passed and Will and I became closer, he was sitting in my cabin one afternoon in mid-October, the air was getting chillier regardless of the magical borders around the camp and he had gotten a gray sweatshirt with some faded words in white print across his chest. He had his hands stuffed into the one pocket, (it was one of those sweatshirts without a zipper) with his legs crossed as he sat against the wall. He told me his mom, Naomi, had sent it to him.

We had originally met up that day to talk about the holographic image the Son of Hephaestus had sent saying he was alive and was on his way-with cheese. (Why I don't know on that last part.) It had came in a few weeks ago.

The good news meant I could stop blaming myself for _that_ death, and the bad news was that as soon as Leo wanted to show his face I would be the first to punch him and that impish grin of his.

Harley had stayed up all night when he first learned his older brother was alive, and hugged me for giving him the news. The beefy little shrimp was adorable when he wanted to be.

Percy mentioned something about him meeting Calypso years ago back when he had gone missing in the Labyrinth when I had IM'ed him a while ago, but the connection had grown fuzzy quickly and we stopped talking.

Communications seemed to be getting weird around camp, Iris Messaging was no longer consistent, calling was useless, and the messages from the gods became even scarcer.

The news that the previously dead Leo would be coming back threw the whole camp into a commotion and the Hephaestus cabin seemed to be even more into their work than usual as if to impress their Head Counselor. Explosions were more frequent, and the forges were on nearly all day, every day.

Even though Leo and I had never been _close_ per se, he had a huge impact on camp and his friends, and I had respect for him. He knew what he had to do and he kept his promises while doing it. Though I'm going to kick his ass for making Hazel upset that he died, nobody makes my sister cry, even a dead man.

No news had came in from him since then but that didn't stop the buzz from going around, I was able to let Hazel know about Leo being alive and I swear she tried to hug me through the mist. That guy had a bigger impact than he had ever known about, something I wasn't sure would be the same for myself.

"You always seem so alone when we eat." Will told me, out of the blue, in that sudden statement kind of way that he speaks in. Any thought that pops into his head he normally says. I raised an eyebrow at him, still wondering how he could just _say_ what he was thinking in the blink of an eye like it wasn't a big deal.

"That's because I sit at the Hades table, Will," I replied, also sitting on the bed, but on farther down it.

The Son of Apollo sighed and nodded, pressing his hands against my black sheets to lean back, "I know, I know, but seriously. We have to figure out how to get you to sit with me or something."

"Why?" I asked, trying to keep my tone even.

In these past few weeks my small attraction to him had grown, grown into something I wasn't sure I wanted to admit was a…a crush.

He looked at me curiously, "Because you're alone over there, Nico, we just went over this."

Will sat up a little straighter, "Well I-" He cut himself off and something gave me the idea he was clenching his fists in his pockets. His blond hair had grown shaggier and he had to push it out of his eyes, "Sorry, dumb thought. Forget about it."

His tone was light but his eyes certainly had a look about them, as if he said something he wished he hadn't have said.

He stretched his back and slumped down onto my bed, "I'm tired." He muttered, using one of his arms as a makeshift pillow rather than using my actual pillow. The other arm he had across his chest and closed his eyes.

 _Go to sleep on my bed, that's cool_. I thought, flipping on the music. _Iris_ by _The Goo Goo Dolls_ started to play throughout the cabin, not too loud though so it wouldn't wake up Will. His breaths were quiet and he seemed completely knocked out, eventually my humming turned into regular words. The song went by and _I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend_ by _The Ramones_ came on.

This song had came on a few times and I always liked it, for no reason in particular… "Do you love me babe?" I sang in tune with the song, no louder than it but not quieter either. My head bobbed along with the rhythm as I tapped my foot that was hanging off of the bed, closing my eyes. "What do you say? Do you love me babe? What can I say? Because I wanna be your boyfriend."

There was a faint chuckle and my eyes snapped open to find Will staring at me with a grin, not sitting up, but looking at me just the same.

I had never sung in front of people, and probably sounded close to how Leo sang. Aka, not well, and like a dying pelican that was chocking on a fish that had caught in his throat.

My cheeks flushed, involuntarily, and I turned my head, rubbing my temples.

"You never told me you had a good voice." Will mused, in a sing-song voice, nudging my side with his foot.

I swatted it away, and ran my hand down my face with a groan escaping me. "I didn't mean to, it just kind have happened." I told him, not able to look at him because I knew my face was bright red.

Maybe he imagined me as having a bad voice and it made my mediocre voice sound like a siren's. Yeah, that was it.

Will sat up now and looked at me, "Nico, you have a gift, and I know my stuff when it comes to music."

Ah, yes, Apollo is his father.

The God of Music hadn't even batted an eyelash at me when I had seen him, any of the times. Did he know about me being the Son of Hades? He was the God of the Prophecy so I'm sure he at least had an inkling of what my fate was.

 _Grudges are our fatal flaws, Nico, let it go._ I could imagine Bianca saying to me, when a wave of loneliness washed over me. She left and chose rebirth, not that I could blame her…but it just felt like being abandoned, again. Nobody really understood me except her, and hell, _I_ didn't understand me.

"Yeah, I know Will." I replied, shrugging off his compliment, he poked my side, "You have that look again. What's going up there in your head?"

His blue eyes looked into my dark brown ones with earnest. My eyes fell to the floor instantaneously and I sighed, letting out a small shrug. "I honestly don't know. I try to avoid listening to what my mind tells me because when I do bad things happen."

He put his hand on my shoulder, looking surprisingly calm and empathetic. "I've figured that out Nico," Will squeezed my shoulder, "Which is why you need to come sit with me." That little ball of sunshine is just as stubborn as ever, directing the conversation back to the point he had been trying to make.

Even though I'm cloudy his light still managed to shine through.

"Fine, fine, Will. I'll figure out something." I replied, with a wave of my hand.

Only a moment after I said that, the horn blew, signaling lunch and Will jumped up. "Perfect timing, let's go!"

How that guy has so much energy is beyond me, he practically sprinted taking easy strides looking just as cat-like as ever.

Paolo tripped over some rubble caused by an explosion that the Hephaestus Cabin "accidentally" had around a week ago.

"Merda!" He exclaimed, dropping his shield as he gripped his foot. Will casually leapt over it, promising to help him pick it up after lunch with a grin, continuing on his way to the Dining Pavilion.

As I passed Paolo he pointed to the rubble, then to the Hephaestus Cabin, which was only twenty feet away from him and spoke in rapid fire Portuguese. He threw up his hands, and waved them around saying some words I highly doubted were friendly before he stormed off to the Dining Pavilion.

There was chatter among the tables, and Will caught my eyes around ten minutes through and looked around like: "Well, what are you going to do? Need my help?"

I gave a small shake of my head then glanced over at the fissure in the foundation which most people thought was caused by a monster during one of the wars. In a way, they were right.

Though, in order to sell off the charade to sit with him, I had to give an Oscar worthy performance.

It wasn't really difficult to make myself angry, if I was being honest. All I had to do was think of Cupid, the gods, and Gaea, how I felt manipulated, and weak against them. It was something I never wanted to feel again, but I guess you could call it method acting- getting into the part.

The air around me dropped a good ten degrees, and the ground started to shake slightly, the fissure peeling apart like cracking, flaking clay. Hands clawed forward from the crack, like the ones that Clarisse could summon if she were out on water (Annabeth told me about that at one point or another), only these ones weren't under her control.

People looked over at the crack, then to me, starting to get up slowly due to shock.

Will's eyes widened, then he yelled, "Guys!" Now as I looked over at the zombies I was trying to imagine each of them as the faces of the people haunting my dreams. I pulled my Stygian Sword from its sheath and advanced towards them.

Sherman Yang, from the Ares Cabin cackled, and grinned like he was dying for an excuse to chops off somebody's limbs. "Thanks for losing control Nico, I can finally kill something without getting in trouble!" He yelled striking down one of them, but now, sadly there were a dozen of them.

Harley ran off to get his flamethrower laughing like a mad scientist hyped up on too much caffeine. "I'm gonna kill some monsters!" He exclaimed, sprinting down the hills.

While more campers joined the frantic fray (the ones that had the sense to carry weapons with them at least), I concentrated on holing up the cracked marble so more wouldn't crawl out. If the monstrous skeletons that Percy had accidentally brought back all of those years ago were still down there, I didn't want to have them make a reappearance.

Finally, it had all settled down, and I breathed heavily, cracking the ground and unintentionally (I didn't want zombies of all things, at least) setting zombies on the camp had drained me. Chiron cleared his throat. "Nico, I would like a word with you."

"After that, I need to see him, y'know, being his doctor and all…I'll have to check up on him." Will piped up, holding up a finger and I shot him a glare.

Now was not the time for that, but he flashed me a glance: "Are you okay?" I waved a hand, dismissively and stood up though my knees felt like they were made of foam. Chiron directed me to the Big House, where we stood on the porch, me leaning on the railing for support. His eyebrows were knit together, and I hadn't been around the mentor for long enough to know if he was angry, or simply debating what he should say. The beard made it difficult to tell, the old centaur looked at me with a calculating gaze, resembling Annabeth in that sense, as if I were a puzzle that needed to be solved.

"I noticed you seemed tired, have you been having nightmares?" He asked finally, and I sighed, closing my eyes against the cold breeze that cut through my t-shirt and I realized my knuckles were turning white from holding onto the rail tightly. _The one day I forget my jacket and it's cold_.

"Yes, why?" I asked, and he stroked his bread, as if deep in thought, "I thought it you were coming to yell at me." I added, a dry laugh echoing down the hills.

After hearing this, he seemed truly perplexed. "I have rarely yelled at my students, Nico. I was simply trying to figure out why that happened, I figured maybe it was the nightmares. If that is the case, I wouldn't recommend you being alone and being left to your own devices."

He was looking at me now; the wrinkles around his eyes were prominent, probably from smiling over the centuries. He wasn't smiling, sadly, making me realize he was probably going to say something that would be difficult for me to hear. Like most parents (not that I would know, just things I infer) they get this look of almost regret that hangs in the air around them.

"Nico, I have seen it many times, but especially for you…right now, I think the largest enemy you have, is yourself."

 _There it is._

Dark clouds drifted over the horizon on the banks of Manhattan, and I had to keep my eyes trained on them so I could keep my voice even. "I wouldn't argue with you there." He seemed to know me better than I know myself.

Chiron took a step closer to me, his hooves clopping against the wood on the porch. "You have friends, I won't tell you that it'll get better if you only believe in yourself, but I will ask you to promise me one thing."

"I'm listening." I told him, looking up at him, and he gave me a sad smile. "Keep faith that there will be another day, this darkness you're trapped by, it will pass. Look to your friends for support, and they'll be there."

"Okay," I told him, starting to walk to go meet Will at the infirmary, because he'd be dying to know what the hell happened, but Chiron's hand on my shoulder stopped me. "Mr. di Angelo, I didn't hear a promise."

What is it with people and promises? They're just words, and one of these days that darkness would almost certainly consume me. I was just delaying the inevitable.

"I'm sorry, Chiron, but I don't like making promises I can't keep." I told him before setting off towards the Son of Apollo.

The disappointment was so thick as I walked that I almost stopped and second guessed myself but then I saw sandy blond hair, hauling something on his back towards the Hebe Cabin and I didn't turn back towards the mentor.

Just like he had promised Paolo, he was picking up the shield. Apparently Chiron wasn't the only one fond of promises in this Greek Camp. "Geez, how does Paolo carry this thing?!" Will muttered, frustrated as he set it down on the bench outside of the simple cabin.

He glanced over his shoulder and saw me, before jogging over. "What happened? If you need to, sit down, I'm sorry if I made you do anything you-" I shook my head, not bothering to get my black hair out of my face, there was a nagging feeling the bags under my eyes were considerable darker today.

"I'm fine, Will." He crossed his arm at me, and tapped his foot.

"Like I believe that, come on, I'm still going to check up on you in the infirmary." He said, grabbing my arm as he started to almost drag me over there. "Do you have to?" I asked in reply, looking up at the sky, exasperated.

At the moment, all I wanted to do was fall asleep and preferably never wake up.

"Yes, now come on, Lord of Darkness." He said in a teasing tone, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

 _What the-_ "Will, please, never call me that again." He began to walk, wrapping an arm around my shoulder, forcing me to walk with him. Maybe not _forcing_ , I would have walked with him anyhow.

Being this close to him, I could practically feel his heart beat, steady and sure, like a drum. It was the polar opposite of my rapidly beating heart.

"What, Lord of Darkness, don't like that do you? Would you rather I call you fluffy-ball–of-death?" He teased once more, poking my cheek with his index finger, making me frown to hide my blush. "Can I choose none of the above?"

Will shook his head, a piece of his hair falling in between his eyes as he blew up going slightly cross eyed, trying to get it out of his face without actually using his hand to move it. _That little, lazy ball of sunshine._

Five minutes later we were in the infirmary and he cleared his throat, taking out a notepad as he removed his arm. Dammit.

He cleared his throat and pulled a pen out of his pocket. I stared at him, "Do you always carry a pen?" "I think it's something with being the child of the god of poetry, but whenever I need something to write with it appears." He explained, shrugging as he clicked the pen.

"Seems tired, agitated, though that's normal…" He muttered as he jotted things down as he wrote then smiled as he finished writing it.

After he had finished he showed me the note: _Nico di Angelo should sit with the Apollo table to make sure his mental health is good and prevent anymore zombie incidents from happening._

His handwriting wasn't what I expected; I expected regular doctor scrawl, barely legible, etc. etc. Instead, it was neat; it was cursive, like something you would see from years and years ago on some old document. He dotted his I's, and J's, something about it was mesmerizing. He cleared his throat, once more, and held the note in his hand, pulling it off as he put the rest of the notepad on a shelf. "Does that sound like something that would Chiron?"

"I'm sure he would approve, he actually told me I should be more social, least it was along the lines of that." I added with a laugh and he nodded, before holding out the note for me to hold onto.

Dinner came along a few hours after that and I strolled past the Hades table, earning a few looks from other tables. I went to go sit next to Will and Nyssa walked over. "Don't you have to sit at your table Nico?" "Nope, I have a doctor's note." I told her with a straight face, standing up.

She was taller than me, not by much though.

The Daughter of Hephaestus frowned at me, as if not believing my story. I held up the note and nodded to Chiron, "Which reminds me, I have to give him my excuse for sitting over there."

When I handed the note to him, Chiron took it with a nod, but there was no doubt in my mind he was smiling under that beard of his.

Will greeted me once more, and so did Austin as he absentmindedly played his ukulele. "Hey Nico, we've heard good things from Will." He told me, glancing up at in my direction as he strummed a tune that sounded close to the song _I Can't Help Falling In Love With You._ Kayla gave me a small wave, tucking her dyed hair behind her ear.

My friend rolled his eyes at his younger brother and sister who seemed to look at their older sibling with a look like they were sharing an inside joke, Kayla snicker, and Will leaned on the tables with his elbows, shaking his head.

If I did that while in the Underworld, Persephone would have turned me into a flower. Again. Not something I wanted to happen, and what is it with gods and turning me into plants?! To this day I still couldn't eat corn of any kind. There was a movie playing in the Big House a while back, and Chiara asked if I wanted any popcorn. I nearly threw up.

"Well yeah, I can't find much negative about him." He, Will, admitted and I stared at him quizzically. "My personality _is_ negative, Solace."

When I said that, he held up his cup which was filled with water before taking a sip of it. He set it down and looked at me not suppressing that smile that came so easily to him. "Ah, I don't mind that. You don't have blind optimism; you say things exactly the way they are, even if you know it isn't the popular opinion."

There was something I envied about the Son of Apollo; he was able to see the good in anything. All except in himself, sadly. He could take any of my negative, morbid statements, and take away the edge or turn them around and make them sound fantastic.

It was one of the reasons I was falling for him the more I hung around him. He could always seem to make these days bearable, if not nice. Like morphine after a surgery, I was just afraid I may be weaned off of it and never get it again.

I had to part ways with too many people, I didn't want to count Will Solace among the list. "Thanks Will." "No problem…Lord of Darkness."


	7. Campfire Confessions

The next day at breakfast, Will was tapping his foot, his sandal clapping against the cold marble. It seemed that even though the weather was growing cold he refused to wear any shoes but his own summer shoes. His dirty blond eyebrows were drawn together; he didn't look up as I took my seat next to him.

Kayla Knowles looked at me, tucking her red hair behind her ear as she let out a soft sigh. Austin Lake nodded and glanced at the Head Counselor of their cabin letting out an identical sigh, it seemed like they were worried about Will.

Finally I had enough of their sighing game and looked at Kayla. "What happened?" "He's worried about his mom, he tried to call her last night and it went straight to voicemail." She murmured, and Will ran a hand through his hair, finally speaking up. "Mom always picks up, _always_ , especially if it's me calling."

My mind flashed back to when I tried to Iris Message Percy, and when I tried to call Hazel and check up on her. Both of them didn't connect, maybe something was going on up on Olympus and it was affecting the signal with us demigods. Rachel seemed to have fewer visions than before the Giant War, and when she stopped by she told me what few of her dreams that she had weren't good.

"Something is happening with communication with either Camp Half-Blood, or all half-bloods because the calls I've tried to make haven't been too successful." I explained, trying to reassure him that his mom was most likely okay.

There was always talking to my father to see if Naomi Solace had made a trip to the Underworld recently. Not that I wanted it to come down to that.

Will looked at me hopefully and gave a sigh of relief. Austin narrowed his eyes at me, rubbing his cornrowed hair, "Really? Who have you tried to call?" "I tried to get in touch with my sister, Hazel, and Percy about things around here." I explained, shaking my head.

"You tried to call Percy?" Will asked, and I nodded, "Yeah, twice a month or so I explain what the situation is and what's going on."

There was a silence that fell over the two of us.

The Head Counselor's face fell, and I looked at him. "What, did you think of something?"

Kayla, who was sitting on Will's right, put her hand on his arm. He shook his head slightly and plastered a smile on his face, "No, nothing. Just a dumb thought, forget about it." He quickly told me, turning to his plate.

Austin looked at me then at Will, and then to Kayla. She caught his eyes and gave a faint shake of her head. "I have this." She seemed to say with her eyes before giving a smile to me.

It seemed like a plastic smile.

"Well, we should probably eat!" She said, in an overcompensating manner.

 _Oooookay_. I thought, turning my face towards my foot where I tried to eat a little more than usual.

After breakfast I was going to talk to Will about his mom to see if there was anything I could do to help ease his mind.

"No, it's fine Nico. I just have to do some checks in the infirmary." He said in a slightly strained voice, making me wonder if anything else happened to make him seem this…tense. This was the first time I had seen him like this, maybe it was something more than his mom.

He sprinted off and Kayla sighed, "Austin, stay here with Nico, you said you wanted to talk to him. I have to go talk to Will."

With that, she ran to go catch up with his older brother.

My eyes narrowed at Austin, "You wanted to talk to me?" I asked him and he shoved his hand in his woolen peacoat jacket's pockets and gave a small shrug. "Well if you're friends with my brother that means I'll be seeing you more so I wanted to know if some rumors were true or false."

 _Fantastic, here we go_. I thought giving a small nod as I put my hands into my aviator jacket's pockets as well as we walked towards the lava wall.

After a moment he looked up at the gray sky, which, if we didn't live in Camp Half-Blood, would certainly be pouring down on top of us.

"Is it true you killed somebody?" He asked finally and I looked at him silently for a moment. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that he asked that, but it still caught me off guard. I couldn't lie though, so I took a deep breath, trying to keep my feelings and thoughts together.

"Yes. He had tried to kill people before me, and was planning on killing Gleeson Hedge and Reyna along with me. I turned him into a ghost and sent his soul to the Underworld to be judged." I explained, but I could see him stop walking and he stared at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

A sigh escaped me, "Judge me, everybody else does, he would have killed us though and camp wouldn't be here because of that. I did what had to be done, as much as I may regret it sometimes."

Austin shook his head.

"He tried to kill people, and from the looks of it, it seems like he should have been judged long before meeting you. I won't say I condone it, but you were right, it had to be done." He told me, and I stared at him.

Something like that didn't normally come out a fourteen year old's mouth, it was kind of startling.

"Thanks. Anything else?" I asked him and he shrugged, "Not at the moment, that was the main thing I wanted to ask."

Damn, Apollo kids are calmer than how you'd expect them to be. Showoffs at times (and had a habit of showing off their skills to a degree where it made you want to shove their bows up their-…you know what I'll stop talking, kids may be reading.), yes but generally cool to hang out with.

We talked for around an hour after that, and by talking, I mean Austin talked and I mostly interjected comments to let him know I was listening. It wasn't that I minded at all, listening to his mostly carefree life was refreshing. His YouTube Channel seemed to be making a rise as well, so he was relived the internet was still working. Maybe I could email Frank (Hazel didn't understand most new technology, so he was my best bet at checking up on my little sister).

Out of nowhere, the Daughter of Apollo, Kayla came stomping across the grass towards me and grabbed me by my collar. "We have to talk, _now_. Austin, go shoot some hoops."

Austin flashed me a look like: "Good luck." before he darted off towards the basketball court, he made a turn and I wondered if he was really going off to shoot some hoops or go somewhere else.

I took her hand off of my collar and stared at her confused. "What the-" She looked up at me ( _finally, I'm taller than somebody. Thank Hades_.) and stuck her finger in the direction of the woods. "We're going to go into the woods and I'm going to ask you some questions, and if I'm not satisfied with the answers I don't care if you're a Son of Hades, I'm goin' to kick your butt halfway across Long Island Sound."

Now, if she was taller than me, and didn't look like a kid throwing a fit I may have been intimidated.

Regardless, I followed her out to the woods, wondering what had ticked her off so much.

Once we were a good twenty feet into the woods she threw up her hands in that overdramatic child-of-the-god-of-drama type way.

"Do you even know what you're doing?!" She asked me, a fire of determination shining in her fierce eyes.

Now I was slightly worried.

"Care to specify on that?" I asked her, raising an eyebrow at her and she jabbed her thumb in my chest. "You know what I'm talking about!" "No…I really don't." I replied, swatting her hand away. Physical contact really wasn't my thing with most people. Mentors, siblings, and Will are the only real exceptions I make to that rule.

When Jason manhandled me, flying me up over the gate, it wasn't a fun experience.

She paced and shot me a glare as she walked, "Will. Ring any bells?" She asked and I narrowed my eyes, "What do you mean, what I'm doing with Will. We aren't _doing_ anything, he's a friend. One of my only friends might I add, what are you even talking about?"

She let out an exasperated groan and rubbed her temples, "Friends." She muttered something under her breath like "He'd love to hear that." And began to pace once again. "You're so blind, Nico!" She exclaimed, her voice rising with every word.

 _What in the hell is she talking about?!_ I yelled in my head and grabbed her shoulder, stopping her from pacing because it was driving me off the deep end real quick. Having to follow her quick movements was like watching a holographic image.

"Blind about _what_?" I asked, and she frowned, "The fact that you have to ask that is proving me you can't see what others are feeling. You're so caught up in feeling sorry for yourself that you're blind to how my brother is feeling!" "Does he think I hate him…?" I asked, taking my hand back as I felt my stomach turned into knots.

If she said that he hated me I probably would have left camp. I'm serious.

She closed her eyes, folding her arms across her chest. Then opened her eyes and looked like she was about to say something else when there was a voice to my left.

"Kayla, it's okay. Calm down." Said Will Solace, looking at his sister and she sighed. "Fine. Are you going to tell him?" She asked, and I looked between the two of them.

His eyes fell towards the ground and he quietly nodded. "Yeah, I will, at campfire." "Tell me what?" I asked and Will waved a hand at me. "Don't worry about it."

Kayla sighed again and looked at me. "Sorry for yelling."

She left without another word.

Will and I were stood there, alone, and I stared at him. He couldn't meet my eyes. "Are you okay?" I asked him, taking a step over to him and his eyes flicked up at me. "I feel like the tables are turning, I'm supposed to be the one to comfort you."

His voice felt pained, and the knots in my stomach only grew.

"It's okay to come to me, okay? I know I may be cold and hard to talk to, but I'll listen." I told him, and Will was silent.

With a deep breath I closed my eyes, "Do you hate me?" "Don't be dense Nico, it's just…a lot of things. Like an avalanche, it originally started out as a tiny snowflake but it's grown. I'll tell you about it later." His voice grew quiet the farther into the statement he got, the opposite of his sister.

He turned on his heel and walked back through the forest, the fallen leaves crunching beneath his feet as his footsteps receded. A few minutes had passed and I wasn't sure what the rest of the day would have in store for me.

I sat down and looked up at the sky; something gave me tonight something between the two of us would change.

For better, or for worse, knowing my luck it would be the latter.

Giving it some thought, in case things went south I cleaned up my cabin in case I would be leaving if it turned out that it was something caused by me.

Better to remove myself from the entire situation than to cause more pain. It would save everybody pain.

Campfire came around and I got up off of my bed, my heart sinking to the floor as I felt like my feet were tied to lead weights. My worry for what he had to say had only escalated over the hours I had spent alone, trying to focus on the ceiling of the cabin, trying to calm my mind.

Trying.

Now as I walked, people meandered here and there, milling their way to the amphitheater, where Will was waiting on the far side. He was leaned up against a column, with a foot propped up on it and his arms crossed. It didn't seem like I was the only person who had anxiety going into this.

People sat beneath their respective banners but I could move throughout them, if a camper was the only person in their cabin Chiron cast a blind eye if they happened to bend the rules in this case.

I walked over and he glanced down at me, "You may want to sit down, it's a big possibility we may be here a while."

The other Apollo campers were leading campfire songs, and nobody was paying us much attention. Chiron was turned so his rear was facing us, not a sight I wanted to see, and I seemed the least of anybody's worries at the moment.

And so, we sat and he took a deep breath.

"I'm tired of losing people, let me start by saying that, but if it is easier for you to take your distance from me after I tell you about this then I completely understand." He started off and I shook my head, as the firelight grew a deep orange, casting shadows across his face as he looked at me.

Leaving him was the last thing I wanted to do. "I'm not going to leave you." I told him; _unless it's my fault you're upset_.

His shoulder slumped doubtfully but he took a deep breath.

"Let's take an ambiguous guessitmation and say around a month and a half ago I met somebody who I wasn't sure I would ever see again, and by some miracle I managed to make him stay," _Oh shit, this is about me_. "and he put up with my stubbornness and babying."

He looked over at the campfire. "Okay, so you know I'm talking about you, I'll just talk flat out now." He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. His hair looked pink in the fire's light and his voice got quieter as he bit his lip. "We became closer and I was surprised to find how much of a caring person you actually were, you're loyal, you can be serious when the times call for it, you know what's right and wrong," _the lines can blur for me, Will, I wish you could see that_ , "and then without realizing it…"

There was a pause and he had finally looked at me, his eyes gentle and his voice nervous but still strong. "I had fallen for you harder than I had ever fallen for anybody."

I felt the same, but I didn't want to end up hurting him. I was a bad luck charm, everybody I know has suffered some time or another, and I can't help but to feel it was my fault. I didn't want anything bad to happen to him, and him falling for me made that risk grow exponentially.

"Yesterday when I heard you singing I think was when I realized it, I realized…" Will continued saying, finally gaining a little confidence but a blush had found his way on his cheeks, I could tell that through the fire's light, "I'm in love with you."

 _Love_.

What an awful, terrible, powerful, amazing, bittersweet thing it was.

"Then this morning, I remembered how you said you liked Percy a while ago and I realized I'm not him. I'm not a hero, I haven't saved the world, and I'm just a healer. I'm not as good looking, tactical, weapon savvy, heroic, or as _anything_ as he is. I realized I couldn't live up to the standard he had set for you. It brought me back down to Earth."

His gaze fell and I put my face in my hands, feeling like I wanted to throw myself off of the top of a building while also feelings like I could take on the world at the same time. I didn't want him to fall for me because that would only bring pain for him, but I also wanted so badly to let my walls down. To let him pull them down, brick by brick.

When I took my hands away from my face, he was staring at the fire, trying to keep his face neutral. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"Will-…" I said, unable to find words, when suddenly I felt a surge of anger at myself. I was tired of being alone and half of the time it was my own fault, and I didn't want to be alone anymore.

The Son of Apollo shook his head, "No, it's alright, you don't have to say anything." "No, Will, I do. I do have to say some things; you said your piece, listen to mine. Please?" I asked him and he looked at me, biting his lip like he regretted confessing his feelings for me.

"You were the first person in a long time, since my sister practically, and Jason, to treat me like a human being and not a scary legend. You see the best in me when I'm still having trouble seeing it, and you have a gift. You can heal people, not just physically. I wouldn't be here if not for you, and your stubbornness. I guess you aren't the only one who's fallen harder than they've ever fallen before. I liked Percy, yes, but he was a fantasy. More of a fantasy than my Mythlomagic card game. You aren't Percy, but I never want you to have to feel like you have to be to feel like that'd be why I would like you. You're Will Solace and I wouldn't want to love anybody else."

The flame changed to a red and Will smiled softly, scrunching up his nose. "Really?" "No, I'm lying about it all-of course really." I told him, shoving his shoulder, and he smiled before wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "Thanks Nico."

I smiled faintly, praying the red flames hid the blush crawling onto my cheeks like a fiery red dragon.

He leaned down slightly and whispered into my ear, "If there weren't as many people around I would be tempted to kiss you." I looked at him, scowling slightly.

It would be a lie if I said I didn't feel the same, but still.

"You're an idiot, Solace." I told him and he grinned, "Could I be promoted to boyfriend?" "Fine fine." I muttered, but in my head I was screaming.

Mostly out of joy, partially out of embarrassment.

Some people glanced over and saw us. One of them happened to be Nyssa. Chiron walked over to Nyssa, who saw us and Chiron said something inaudible to her. She laughed and nodded, "I thought they'd never get together!" She exclaimed.

Connor noticed us after that and stood up rubbing his hands together, "I called it! Chiara, Holly, you owe me twenty drachmas!" "Dammit!" Chiara exclaimed, and Chiron shot her a look of disapproval. "No cursing at camp."

She pursed her lips before mouthing more choice words as she walked away, throwing her hands up. "I thought Nico would make the first move, not Will!" She exclaimed, grumbling about her lost drachmas.

 _Was the whole camp hoping we would get together?_

"Should we throw them in the canoe lake like we did for Percy and Annabeth?" Kayla asked and I scowled at her, "Not you too."

"What? Will told me about his crush on you the day after you sat with him on the roof. I happened to tell it to Austin, who told it to Connor and you know how Connor gets-"

I cut her off and held up a hand, closing my eyes, if I didn't I may just go back to my cabin out of embarrassment. "You know, I don't need the details."

Connor grinned as he rounded up the money he had won from his love life, as he held out a bag that could hold a microwave as he made his way around camp. "Nobody wanted to bet that Will would make the first move." He chuckled asking for Chiron to hand over money. He sighed slightly and I nearly threw myself into the fire. _CHIRON BET ON IT TOO?!_

The old centaur sighed and held up a hand, "I promised twenty drachmas if I lost, they're back at the Big House." "Pleasure doing business with you," Connor said with a grin, his bag getting bigger every second.

"Are you getting embarrassed?" Will murmured, and I scoffed. "What? No. I have no idea what you're talking about."

He stood up and laughed, "I'd better take the Lord of Darkness back to his cabin now." _You just used my nickname in front of everybody; oh I'll get you back for that._

We walked away and heard cheerful laughter coming from the campfire.

The night was slightly cold and as we walked Will couldn't seem to stop smiling.

Without thinking, I slipped my hand into his and laced our fingers together. He looked down at me, his smile faltering because apparently me making the first move with the hand holding was surprising.

Not a moment had passed before his smile returned. "Look at you, you're smiling. I think this is the happiest I've seen you." He said, and I chuckled in reply, looking up at him. "You seem to be the happiest I've see you as well, and that's saying a lot seeing as though you're a ball of practical sunshine."

When we got back to my cabin I didn't want to leave him, but my eyes were heavy from exhaustion and I desperately needed it, not matter the nightmares.

He sighed softly, "I guess this is goodnight then." "I guess so."

"I'll see you first thing tomorrow morning." Will told me, before leaning down to kiss my cheek.

The stupid Son of Apollo turned and left before I could tell him goodnight as well!

Not that I'd be able to say it, my face was burning brighter than when he had his arm around me earlier at the campfire. I'd probably be stuttering just to get out the simple word: goodnight. A smile crossed my face as I went into the cabin.

I had a boyfriend, an amazing, caring, sweet, adorable, aggravating, stubborn, and spectacular boyfriend. Life could be worse.


	8. Soft Breezes

That night I tossed and turned, trying to find sleep.

The more I seemed to want to find it, the more tired I became and the more it evaded me. Slipping through my fingertips like sand on the beach. It was like trying to hold moonlight, impossible.

My music was echoing around me, the louder it was the more it seemed to drown out my thoughts on most nights, but sadly the more aggravated I became trying to find sleep the angrier the music became. Which was essentially not the point that I was trying to make with it, I wanted to have it play calming music or something. I'd have to ask Nyssa if I could set it to a certain mood, or if she could modify it so that it would.

Eventually, I gave up, running a hand through my shoulder length dark hair as an agitated groan escaped me.

I walked over to the bathroom where I flipped on the dim light hanging over the sink, in front of the mirror, which still made me wince.

There were two things that I had noticed.

1) The bags that always hung underneath my eyes seemed noticeably darker

2) My arms were bright red

My arms were probably dark red because I had grown the awful habit of clawing at my arms when I got stressed. I rubbed them and pulled on my aviator jacket, stepping out into the chilly night air as I closed the door behind me.

Without thinking I had walked over to Cabin Seven, Will's cabin, and looked at the doorway wondering if I should knock.

 _No, you can't do that. Don't wake up his siblings._ I thought, sighing.

Then remembered, we were dating, somehow I had forgotten in the matter of hours since we had established it.

 _Hazel_. I thought, then my eyes widened. I needed to see my sister and check up on her, and tell her about Will!

Halloween was approaching just next week, and I could probably shadow travel there over the span of a few days and surprise her. Hopefully Reyna wouldn't mind me dropping by. Will would probably love it in New Rome; he seems like the kind of guy to like hot chocolate.

Being as though Hazel was from a time when guys dating guys was unheard of, she hopefully wouldn't freak out, but she would probably be upset if I kept it from her for a long time. Besides, I also wanted to see how she and Frank Zhang were doing.

I'm not sure how much time passed but I heard a voice murmur from inside: "It's hot in here; I'm getting some fresh air."

For a moment, a mini heart attack greeted me when I thought it was Austin Lakes, then I realized it was Will.

Then I also realized I was standing in front of his doorway at two in the morning. That would be sure to leave a great impression on him. I could imagine him jumping and yelling out of surprise to see what looked like me spying on his cabin. _Fantastic_ _._

Before I could shadow travel back to my cabin, the door opened and Will stepped out, not looking around to see me until he had shut the door behind him.

He finally saw me, standing still as a statue, as if staying still would make it so his eyes would glaze over me like that T-Rex did in _Jurassic Park_.

Oh how disappointed was I when that didn't happen.

His eyes stopped on me and he crossed his bare arms at me (apparently he only slept in sleeveless t-shirts…maybe it was a child of Apollo thing, I'm not sure) and raised an eyebrow at me. "Nico…what, may I ask, are you doing?"

"I...uh...couldn't sleep." I muttered, feeling like that was a dumb excuse for standing in front of his cabin at this gods forsaken hour and he looked up at the roof of his cabin. "Care to join me then?"

Five minutes later we were sitting within a few inches of each other with our legs dangling over the edge of the roof. The stars glittered in the sky and the moon was half lit, giving off only a faint light across the silent camp.

There was something surreal about camp at this hour, the hearth was giving a small glow, the Big House stood lonely as usual and the cabins were clustered around each other. The way the waves seemed to just brush the sand before pulling away, the whistling in the trees that you can never hear during the day when people come along and carry on with their lives.

"How long were you standing there?" Will asked me, looking over at me as I tried to keep my train of thought away from his attractive features, his adorable freckles, his slight dimples the way his sandy blond hair-

 _Get yourself together Nico, dammit!_

"Not too long, I think I did it without thinking. I just started walking and ended up here." I tried to explain, though my mind wasn't necessarily processing walking here. Will laughed quietly before wrapping an arm around me, he had goosebumps.

His smooth voice seemed to drift across the roof, as soft as the breeze in the trees. "Well I'm glad that you came to me without even realizing it I guess." He chuckled slightly at the end of that sentence and he bit his lip, looking at me closer, his laugh had died like a deflated balloon.

"What is it?" I asked him, trying to keep my hammering heart from beating out of my chest, he was so close.

"You look more tired than usual. Are your nightmares that bad?" He asked me, and I sighed quietly.

Talking about my nightmares wasn't something I enjoyed to do. Who does? "HEY GUYS I DREAMED I WAS IN TARTARUS, WANT TO HEAR ABOUT HOW I WANTED TO DIE?! GREAT!" _What?_

"Yeah, that and getting to sleep, maybe my brain is subconsciously trying to keep me from having nightmares so it's keeping me from even having that chance." I muttered, taking in a sharp breath as I looked at the dark green grass a good distance beneath us.

Will's face dropped and he gave my shoulder a light squeeze, his voice was barely audible. "Nico, you need to sleep. I'll tell you what, I'll stay with you in your cabin until you fall asleep and hopefully that'll help. Once I'm positive you'll be okay I'll head back here. Deal?"

It was hard to say no the prospect of falling asleep while he was there. "Deal."

He climbed down the vines first, with me following closely behind him. We walked back quietly, trying not to wake up any of the people sleeping soundly in their respective cabins and soon we arrived back at my cabin, where I tossed my jacket on one of the numerous spare beds.

Will looked around and pointed to the only bed with sheets that were lumped and messed up. "You're sleeping there?"

I gave a small nod and he sat on the bed by my pillow nearly bumping his shoulder on the wall, making me narrow my eyes. "Will, what are you doing?" "I'm going to keep an eye on you, in a non-stalker way, while you sleep. I can't do that from," he nodded to the opposite wall, "over there."

No matter what I would have said, he wouldn't have moved, so I just let out a soft breath, shaking my head slightly as I climbed into bed next to him.

I turned over on my side, so my back was to the wall, the way I always slept. "G'night, Nico." Will said from the side where my back was facing, and I nodded slightly, feeling walls I didn't know I had to keep me from sleeping, fall down.

My dreams were nice at first, I was sitting with my sister Bianca in the snow, "Bianca, promise me you'll never leave!" I exclaimed, in a surprisingly childish voice and she laughed before adjusting her floppy green cap. Her eyes gleamed and she grabbed a piece of snow before smashing it into a ball and threw it at me, hitting me in the chest. "You should know I'd never do that, dork." She laughed, smiling at me.

The dream flipped, and I was walking along the river of fire in Tartarus, trying to keep moving though each step felt like agony. I had a battle with the Areas, who inflict curses upon who kills them, or kill you themselves.

I was limping, barely able to keep standing, when I felt my vision go black.

There I was, in that jar, feeling like my lungs collapse, wondering if anyone would try to rescue me. To think of that, the Ghost King, Son of Hades, in need of help. How pathetic could I be?

The only person who would even try to save me, that I could reason, was Hazel. She would know it was a trap though, and I was just delaying death by eating those pomegranate seeds. Why would Frank, a guy I knew I put on edge, stick his neck out for me? Same for the rest. The only reason Annabeth would save me if because of personal responsibility and the same goes for Percy.

How pitiful would it be to be rescued by the guy who didn't trust me at all only a few years ago?

Besides, the trust that he _may_ have had evaporated like steam, because I pretended to not know him. It wasn't my place to tell him who he was, but it hurt to do it.

When he had first arrived in Camp Jupiter, I had to play dumb, like I didn't know him, knowing he would hate me for it if he got his memories back. I knew how Annabeth had cried, how the Greek camp had lost their hero, and how much they needed him back, but I couldn't tell him.

Over the years I had learned when gods had dealt their hand, and I didn't know which god had played a part in Percy's fate, but I couldn't intervene.

That led me to my memory with Cupid, of him wrapping me around his finger as we stood in the ruins, his red eyes and the way his laugh seemed to cut me to the bone. Prying out feelings and emotions I never wanted to feel again, making me relive them in front of the Son of Jupiter,

"Nico!" A voice said, cutting through my nightmare and I woke up, feeling two arms wrapped around me.

Will was looking at me with concern, shaking me lightly, and when he was sure I was awake he let out a sigh of relief. "You were shaking like mad; I was worried I wouldn't be able to wake you up..."

My breaths were shallow and only then did I realize my eyes stung, I had been crying.

"Sorry." I managed to say, looking anywhere but at him, my stomach felt like it had been turned into knots and I felt like I was going to be sick.

He shook his head at me, and I heard his voice drop. "You don't have anything to apologize for, _I'm_ sorry that I haven't been here for you more. Maybe if I had have, you wouldn't be having these nightmares…" There was regret in his voice and I could tell he was feeling as if he caused this, or could have prevented it.

"Don't blame yourself," I told him, closing my eyes, "it's just that I'm a mess…"

There was a pause and I finally looked up at him. "Are you sure you want to still be with me, I mean you saw how much I-" "Nico, I'm not going to leave you like I know some people have. I'm sticking with you until the bitter end." He told me with a determined stare.

It seemed like a dream, and most of my dreams turned into nightmares so worry began to eat away at me. "The bitter end, Will, I don't want you to meet a 'bitter end'. Knowing my luck, it would be caused by me!" I whisper yelled, because at the moment, I couldn't force myself to speak in a loud voice as my gaze fell once again to my dark sheets.

"It's my life Nico; we can't live in fear of the future because it's as unpredictable as gambling is. All we can do is deal and learn from the past and live right now. That's something I've learned from living here at camp." He told me, lifting my chin up so I was looking at him.

"Dealing with the past isn't something I'm good at." I replied, biting my lip and he let out a chuckle. "Neither am I, how about we learn together?"

How did he manage to fall for me, I will never understand, but I felt so grateful for being here, and for him dealing with all of my problems that I couldn't seem to deal with myself.

I looked up at him, and for a moment, all I wanted to do was to kiss him. To show him how much I cared and appreciated it but something held me back.

Now wasn't the time, now it would be too rushed. We had only been together for less than a day, besides I didn't know how Will felt about kissing me, it wouldn't feel right. Not that I was a stickler for kissing, and wanted a Nicholas Sparks type romance, but I didn't want my first kiss to be something I regretted. Besides, I didn't even know if it would be Will's first kiss either.

Then my mind flashed back to Hazel, the more I fell for Will, the more I felt the urge to tell her.

"I'd love that Will," I started then pursed my lips trying to figure out how to phrase my question.

"What is it, you have that look." Will stated, poking my cheek, and I rolled my eyes at him. "I…I wanted you to formally meet my sister. I was planning on visiting her this Halloween and now that we're together I figured it would be as good a time as any for the two of you to meet her." I finished and surprisingly he nodded.

He seemed actually optimistic about it.

"That would be awesome, isn't Camp Jupiter in the San Francisco area? If so on the way there could I stop by and see my mom?" He asked me, and I looked at him with a little anxiousness. "Your mom?" I asked, and he nodded. "Yeah, I haven't seen her in months. Besides, I'm going to see your sister, would you mind meeting my mom?"

Was his mom cool with him liking guys, being gay?

From what I had heard about her she seemed a lot like Will, a relaxed mother who only wanted what was best for her son.

"She's fine with you dating me?" I asked him, and Will shrugged, "She won't mind, I…may have told her about my crush on you a month ago. She was fine with it; in fact she wanted to meet you."

She wanted to meet _me_? An angst filled, moody teenage Son of Hades who could lift legions of the dead with a snap of his fingers and send souls to be judged? What? Obviously, Will hadn't gave her an accurate description of me, least not accurate in my standards.

"Oh. In that case, I hope I can live up to the dramatic description for me made for me." I told him, shrugging, while doing my best to sound nonchalant. He frowned slightly and put his hand on my cheek, "You've got to stop being so hard on yourself. I haven't made any hyperboles about you to her, just the observations I've made."

 _His hand is on my cheek; his hand is on my cheek!_ I thought, knowing my face was turning bright red. _Holy Hades Nico, stop making a big deal about this._

"Well, then you've definitely exaggerated me to her, you tend to make people sound better than they actually are."

He shook his hand, smiling faintly as he ran his thumb across my cheekbone. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Nico; you just can't see the good in yourself because you're looking at yourself in a cracked mirror. A mirror you and other people have helped to crack so you can't see what you really are like."

His smile had faded when he said that and I was at a loss for words, it seemed he was a child of the god of poetry for a reason.

Suddenly, a smile was back on his face, a lopsided half smile that made me want to smile in return. "The thing is, Nico, I don't have to look through any cracked mirror to see you." He told me, and my feeling of wanting to kiss him returned in the blink of an eyes.

And apparently he felt it too.

I looked at him quietly, for a moment, realizing just how close we were. We were only a matter of inches away from each other.

Then the gap closed and he kissed me, not a demanding kiss, I knew that. It was gentle, as soft as the breeze that we had heard whistling through the trees earlier as we sat on his roof.

When he pulled away he pressed his forehead against mine and let out a soft laugh. "I've wanted to do that for a while." He murmured, breathlessly and I managed a laugh too. "That would make two of us."

Will raised an eyebrow at me, that statement apparently taking him off of his guard. "Really?"

I could only nod in reply, just saying "That would make two of us" was an ordeal. My brain seemed to work just about as much as a dead person's.

Will flipped on the music, sitting up before he lay down again and put an arm around me. There was a faint silence as _LA Devotee_ by _Panic! At The Disco_ started to play "Mom will want to know everything about my first kiss, that'll be fun to talk about." He muttered, laughing quietly and I stared at him. "I was your first kiss?"

"Yeah, if you haven't noticed, I'm not somebody even the nymphs fawn over. Then again that may be their grudge because of my father, but yeah. I'm not really somebody people come to confessing their love, I've always happened to be more of a wing-man. Maybe it's because I'm," He made air quotes with his hand, "'easy to talk to' or something."

I laughed now, hearing him grumble about being a wing-man.

"Well you are easy to talk to. And I should hope people don't start professing their love to you, it isn't difficult to beat me in the love department." I told him, shrugging and he rolled his eyes.

Then he seemed to remember something. "Speaking of the love department…While you were having your nightmare, you kept mentioning something about Cupid, what was that about?"

Ah yes, the nightmare, the whole reason Will was spending the night in my cabin. It had dawned on me a while ago I would probably have to tell him about my run in with the Roman jackass love god, Cupid, though I may have changed the subject whenever Aphrodite or Cupid ever came up in conversation…maybe on purpose.

And so, I told him about my time looking for Diocletian's Scepter, and how it had led me to the ruins where I met Cupid.

When I had finished he looked at me sadly, "Making you relive everything was just cruel." "Believe me, I know, why else would I still be having nightmares? And the fact Jason was there, nothing against him, but he saw me for me. After that I think he became my friend out of pity." I muttered, sighing.

"Nico…"

"Sorry, getting morbid again." I apologized quickly, trying not to worry Will too much; after all he had probably been on an emotional roller coaster with me over these past few hours.

And the kiss.

Oh the kiss, it felt like when Kronos had slowed down time and made the world surrounding us seem to pause and fall away to nothing leaving only just us. It was a feeling, if only for a moment, of not being isolated from everybody.

Will kissed my forehead with his eyes closed and gave a soft smile. "You don't have to apologize. I don't mind your being morbid just like you don't mind my blind optimism." "At least your 'blind optimism' makes people happier." I retorted, closing my eyes as a yawn escaped me.

He gave my shoulder a light squeeze. "Go to sleep, it's okay."

Just as I fell asleep I could swear he murmured a phrase that I hadn't heard in years: "I love you." But I couldn't tell if I was too tired to differentiate being asleep and being awake, so for now, I didn't quite believe he actually said it.

Regardless, I feel asleep with a ghost of a smile on my face.


	9. Getting Ready To Go

The next morning I awoke to Will suddenly jumping out of my bed.

"What in Hades'-" I started to say when I saw that sunlight was starting to trickle through the window. A little reminder that people who weren't your siblings shouldn't be in others' cabins edged into my mind and I face-palmed my forehead. "Will, get back to your cabin before you get in trouble." I told him and he nodded, giving me an apologetic smile.

He gave me a small wave before darting out of my cabin and across the cabins, I silently prayed to any god that was listening that it was earlier enough that nobody else was awake yet.

I flipped on the music and looked at the ceiling pulling the blankets closer around me. They smelled like Will.

Last night replayed in my mind over like a broken record, one I didn't mind playing over and over.

Gods on Olympus I was turning into an Aphrodite kid.

An hour passed and I looked at the time, around thirty minutes until breakfast. I'd take a quick shower and then head out to breakfast. If I meandered, maybe I'd _happen_ to run into Will on the way. If I didn't well, that just meant that there'd be less time to wait until breakfast. Not that I ate much, like I mentioned.

I climbed out of bed and headed to the bathroom.

The bathroom had deep amber lights so it looked like I was in a cave of some sort, whoever the genius who made this cabin made the towels black as well as my sheets. Conflicted feelings on that, on one hand my mind was screaming about how stereotypical it was that even the towels were black, but the other half of me kind of liked how they made them black. The brightest thing I wore was my Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and even _that_ was a rare occurrence.

I threw off my shirt and unchanged before getting into the shower. The water was tepid, just the way I liked it. Too hot reminded me of the river of fire in Tartarus, too cold was just plain torture. Sue me but I can be picky at times.

After I finished with that I wrapped the towel around my lower torso before heading out to the main part of the cabin to put on my clothes.

There was a knock on my door and I looked up, _uh-oh_.

"Nico?" Called Will's voice, making my heart rate speed up so quickly I could practically hear it. Not good.

"Will, I'm a little-" I started to say when the door opened and I was stuck standing by my bed in nothing but a towel wrapped around my waist.

He stood in the doorway; his mind seemed to stop momentarily as he processed me without a shirt on. Something that made me slight uncomfortable, how long he was looking at me.

"This is why I tell you to knock." I said fighting to keep a sultry tone. A blush crawled up his cheeks and he closed the door without a word. "I'll…uh…wait out here." He said, voice cracking.

My guess was that he was embarrassed, maybe even more embarrassed than I was.

I quickly pulled on my shirt and jeans then put on my shoes and tied them up before sliding into my jacket. My hair was still damp, but I didn't mind that.

When I stepped out I folded my arms across my chest. "Come on."

He walked beside me in an awkward silence. "Sorry about that I…um…" "Will, it's fine. Just try not to do it again." I told him, rolling my eyes. _Keep it casual. He only saw you when you were practically naked. No big deal_.

Will nodded then tapped his chin. "Just curious, you don't really like showing a lot of skin do you?"

I looked at him with narrowing eyes, wondering why he was asking something like that. "No. I don't, pardon me but I'm not lean and tan like some people." I shoved his shoulder as we walked and Will chuckled. "I hope you were talking about me there, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. You may not be tan but you're built well if I do say so myself in my doctorial opinion."

A shook my head, a small smirk crossing my face. "Mhm, your 'doctorial opinion', sure."

"Completely doctorial. I don't know what you're thinking about." He stated with an innocent smile. I could see devil horns below his halo.

He draped his arm around my shoulder with a grin. "So, are we going to talk to Chiron about our trip?"

I nodded slightly, and shoved my hands into my deep pockets. "Yeah, you're better with explaining things you should talk to him. Every time he looks at me I feel like he's thinking about how much untapped potential I have or something."

Maybe it was the teacher nature in him, but I didn't want to commit to giving my all for fear of disappointing him. Gods knows I disappoint nearly everybody else.

The Son of Apollo laughed and shrugged. "I mean you _do_ , but that's his personality. We'll talk to him after breakfast." "We?" I asked him, frowning, "Did I not just ask you to do it?"

He gave my shoulder a small squeeze. "Poor baby, I'm actually making you do something for once." "You make me do things all the time." I grumbled, taking my hands out of my pockets only to cross then.

We soon arrived at the Dining Pavilion and found we were some of the first to arrive. I sat down next to Will and leaned on the table using my hand to prop my chin up. "So did you make it back to your cabin?" I asked him.

His cheeks flushed red and he rubbed his neck. "Let's just say I had to make up something to Kayla and Austin," He held up a finger to his lips, "it'll be our little secret though okay?"

Keeping our kiss a secret? Keeping how I had a mental breakdown and sobbed a secret? Little to say the least, I was relived.

"Hey, Austin, you owe your ukulele for a week, I told you he was going to meet Nico." Kayla said and to Austin as the two sat next to their oldest brother Will. I sighed and looked at them. "What's it with everybody and betting on what Will and I will do?"

She shrugged slightly, tucking her red hair behind her ear. "The internet's being stupid so there isn't much else to do."

My scowl deepened.

"Might I remind you…that you are _in a magical camp for the children of gods_ there's plenty to do!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up, and Austin shrugged in reply, mimicking his sister's movements.

"I mean you're right…but still. Keeping up my YouTube channel took up most of my time now I can barely even do that. Only one cover of a song a week!" he let out a sigh like somebody had just told him his dog died and he was in a state of mourning.

Honestly.

Soon the other campers filed in and Chiron said to start eating, the usual business.

Afterwards, Will tapped my shoulder and tilted his head in Chiron's direction as if to ask if I was ready. I gave a small sigh, my way of saying "Why not?".

The two of us stood up and walked over to the old centaur. "What can I do for you?" He asked with a sincere smile and I sighed. "I wanted to visit my sister Hazel in Camp Jupiter."

"And I wanted to visit my mom, so Nico and I were wondering if it would be fine if we left for a week or so." Will finished explaining for me.

Chiron scratched his beard, musing the idea as he gazed down at the two of us. "With the lack of communications it would be even more dangerous than usual my boys."

I nodded and held out a hand on front of myself. "I know that, but I was the one who brought back the Athena Parthenos, I understand that there are dangers but I think I can handle myself. I'll have Will with me; he can mend almost anything, and brought me back from the brink. Do you think we can get a little credit and some time to spend with family?" I asked him and Chiron stared at me for a minute.

That may have been the longest thing I had said to the centaur since I was eleven. Holy Hephaestus I was an idiot back then.

Chiron chuckled, "If you insist, Nico," he turned to Will and put a hand on his shoulder, "keep an eye out for him won't you?" "Course I will." Will replied, grinning, flashing me a quick wink that I had no idea how to interrupt.

"When will you leave?" He asked me and Will looked at me as if expecting an answer. "Um…two days? If that's fine." I added quickly, trying not to press what little luck I possessed.

"It is, you'll be gone a week, I hope you're back in a week's time then." Chiron stated then I saw something in his face, worry, "I don't want to have another Percy fiasco; losing one camper is bad enough. Losing two would be detrimental."

Me, as important to camp as Percy? The idea made me want to laugh, and with a courageous effort, I didn't. Even though I had made the decision to stay, that didn't make me any more important to this camp. A few people may be sad, cry even, but like I said all of that time ago, they would all move on.

Will, he'd be a different story. He's like an invisible crutch, when the seven weren't here, he provided the hope that so many demigods here desperately needed. That I understood from the respect he had, respect I don't even think the campers knew they had for him. I had seen whenever he needed to fix somebody up, mend their broken bones, and anybody around him stood silently ready to do anything he needed them to do. He didn't use that respect to gain more attention either, _he_ didn't even seem to know about it.

People would miss Will Solace.

Me?

Forget about it.

"I'll make sure at least this idiot gets back safely." I told the centaur, jabbing my thumb at Will before heading off to my cabin to go grab my Stygian Iron sword, which I had forgotten because of the towel incident.

As I walked down the hill past the odd array and assortment of cabins that had become the closest thing to home in years, Will jogged up beside me and punched my arm as he came to a halt in front of me and folded his arms across his chest. He had a frown on his face and he pointed up to where he had just walked down from.

Then he held up two fingers and tapped his foot in an aggravated way. "One, I am not an idiot, idiot. Two, both of us will make it back here or not at all. Okay?"

Was that what he was getting so aggravated about?

"Nico, _why are you laughing_?" He asked, confused and I nearly doubled over.

"You call me dense, okay Will. Fine, you aren't the idiot but that sure as hell doesn't make me the idiot," I started taking a step closer as I poked his chest, "And if there's a monster I can't beat I'm going to make sure you get out instead of me. I'm not going to lose anybody else." My laughter had faded, but I still stood firm. "Okay?"

Will grabbed my hand and stared at me with a fierce expression, like he wasn't as amused as I was.

"Nico." "Yes?" I asked, not backing down from the staring match.

"I know perfectly well you don't want to lose anybody else, but has it ever occurred to you that I've lost people too?" He asked, and then enveloped me in a bone crushing hug, burying his face in my jacket. "I'm not going to lose you too."

My heart sunk to my feet, yes Will was my boyfriend and I was his…but he still cared about me that much?

The dots didn't seem to connect at all.

"Will…" I murmured, and he hugged my tighter. "I'm sorry; I know you probably didn't mean much by the comment up there. Like it's become second nature to self-deprecate yourself but that makes it worse. I wish you could see yourself like I see you." He told me, looking at me with his soft blue eyes.

He was so close I could almost count the number of freckles on his nose.

"I wish I could too, but I'm long past that."

My voice was barely more than a whisper, and Will let go of me before poking my forehead. "Well then I take it as my solemn responsibility to get you back to that point. After all, in your word's I brought you back from the brink. I guess I'll just have to do it again. It's a terrible honor, this role."

I folded my arms and raised an eyebrow at him. "Terrible honor?" "I was about to say terrible privilege then I realized I'd be quoting Iron Man in the Avengers." He added, shrugging lightly as he put his hands on his hips looking like a blond Peter Pan. "Anyhow Nico, I have to go and pack. I'm going to stop by randomly, so no more towels."

He jogged off without another word.

"Maybe you should knock…idiot." I muttered as I walked away, shaking my head.

That boy's mood could change at a snap of a finger, it baffled me.

Lots of things tended to now.

Back in my cabin I didn't have much to pack, just some of my shirts and pants. After that I figured there wasn't much else. Maybe some drachma's but that was it. I tossed off my jacket and sat on the floor.

Something I had taken up here this past month was working out; maybe Jason was rubbing off on me. To try and turn off my mind I'd blast my music and do crunches, and was able to get a punching bag in my room, it was off towards the corner opposite of mine surrounded by a vast empty space because they figured they couldn't fit in another bed and they didn't have any more cheesy death decor.

I changed into my sleeveless t-shirt and started on the punching bag, tying the majority of my hair out of my face when I heard the door open.

Will stopped and laughed. "I always catch you when you're practically naked." "Will Solace, I am wearing a t-shirt."

He made his way towards me and let out a dramatic gasp. "A _sleeveless_ one, I can see your arms, how scandalous!" "Shut up Solace." I muttered with an eye roll, as I turned off the music and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat off of myself.

The Son of Apollo sat on the bed nearest to me and stretched out in his usual cat-like manner, looking at my arms. "I have a ripped boyfriend. Damn."

That was the first time I heard him cuss, I was both startled and had a feeling of pride welling inside me. _My baby's finally cussed._

"Have you seen yourself?" I asked him, rolling my eyes again as I tossed my towel on his face, which he swatted away promptly. He sat up as I sat down next to him and shrugged. "You lug medical equipment and supplies around and camp and see if you don't burn some calories."

He swept some of my hair that was hanging in my eyes out of my face and laughed. "Nice look Nico." "If that was sarcasm-" I said pursing my lips and he shook his head, leaning back on the bed. "It was not, in fact, sarcasm. I happen to like your workout look."

I laughed and shook my head. "You're unbelievable. I don't look much different except for there's no jacket."

"And you're sweaty and…for lack of better words, _hot_." He told me and my brain temporarily stopped working.

"Did you just call me…hot?" I asked him, tilting my head to the side. "Literally and metaphorically." He added, placing his hand on my forehead. "Yeah, yeah." I replied absentmindedly, swatting his hand away.

He looked out of the window, the afternoon sunlight washing him in a golden glow. "It's a nice day out, we should go walk." He said and I groaned falling back onto the bed. "I'd really rather not. Leave me here, I prefer the indoors."

"And the Underworld, which isn't-" He said holding up a finger and I pulled him down so he was lying on his side next to me. "If you say 'healthy for you' I swear." He paused for a moment before breaking into a smirk. He leaned closer to me so his breath was nearly tickling my ear. "...healthy for you." He muttered and I kicked him off the bed.

He rubbed his head on the floor, chuckling to himself. His eyes were closed as he sat up. "Totally worth it."

I hopped off of the bed and pulled on my jacket just to spite him, he opened an eye at me and sat up. "Aw, no. Don't put on your jacket." "You brought this on yourself." I told him firmly, fighting the urge to smirk. He stood up and pursed his lips into a pout. "I should have known you'd do something like that." He sighed and sat down again and I rolled my shoulders back, feeling sore from punching the punching bag.

"You were working out for a while?" He asked me, and I sat down again, shrugging. "Almost since when you went to pack, so not long."

Will poked my arm, "Nico, you've been hitting that thing for two hours."

Geez, time flies.

I looked over towards the corner then looked at him. "Two hours, what in holy Hades, what were you packing? Your cabin?" He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "More so getting everything in the infirmary ready in case people need healing when I'm gone, I set out the first aid kits, things to help headaches, the ambrosia, and all the nick knacks."

 _Nick knacks_?

"Oh, well if they hold off on Capture the Flag they should be okay." I told him, and he sighed looking like he had a secret he was dying to tell but was sworn to secrecy. "Yeah and when we get back from the trip I have to tell you something."

That sentence made my stomach twist into knots, _not good_.

"Can you not tell me now?" I asked him, crossing my feet Indian Style on the bed. His head hung forward slightly and he made the motion of sipping up his mouth and pantomimed throwing away the key.

He shook his head, his disheveled blond hair falling in front of his eyes, making me want to sweep them out of the way.

"Sorry, Chiron made me swear on the River Styx not to tell." He apologized, giving a hopeless shrug as he held my hand, giving it a slight squeeze. "I really am sorry Nico; I know how you feel about secrets."

 _Stupid adorable guy being sweet with how he feels, dammit._ I couldn't really 100% focus on what he was saying due to his hair getting on my nerves. I wanted to see his blue eyes. It reminded me of when Jason came to speak to me after the battle with Gaea and his glasses were falling off of his nose.

"So long as it won't get anybody killed-"

"Slight issue there." He prompted, biting his lip, not quite able to look at me.

"Okay…" I told him reaching up forwards his forehead, as I finally couldn't restrain myself from getting the hair out of his eyes.

He gave me a soft smile as his eyes flicked down at me and laughed, "That was random." "Not necessarily, it's been bothering me for a while." I replied, rolling my eyes at my boyfriend.

Will's smile grew and he leaned his head towards me so our foreheads were touched. "Ah well, we can't have that. Can we? A grumpy Nico isn't what I wat to see." "I'm always grumpy I don't know what you're talking about." I retorted, shoving his shoulder lightly but he pressed a finger against my cheek.

"Oh my…grumpy you say? I daresay I see a smile on your face though." He replied, his smile turning into a lopsided smirk that made my face unwillingly blush. "Shut up."

He kissed the corner of my mouth with his eyes closed. "We both know that isn't going to happen." He nearly purred, and I grabbed the collar of his shirt before kissing him on the lips suppressing a grin.

It's safe to say that the Son of Apollo was thoroughly surprised and shocked. The silence lasted for a good minute and his face was an unreadable mask.

"What were you saying?" I asked him, chuckling despite myself and he shook his head, laughing as well. "You sure are something. I never seem to be able to know what you'll do."

"I hope I can keep it that way." I told him, laying down the bed with a content sigh, using my hands behind my head as a pillow.

He smiled down at me and then looked out of the window once more. "I have no doubt you will."

((Author's Note: SO, I'm debating if I should do a few chapters from Will's point of view. I've been debating with this idea for a while, but I don't know. Anyhow, give me your ideas ! Thanks for all of the nice reviews and views! Hope you've enjoyed it so far!))


	10. I Meet Mama Solace Finally

The day to head out soon came around, and though there was a bit of arguing about how we would get across the country we finally decided on the trains. Flying was a definite no, and Will refused to let me shadow travel "exceedingly long distances". (It's only the U.S. Come on.)

It was around six in the morning and I was already awake and ready to go, (that night sleep had eluded me like it had so many nights before) and I had my small duffel bag on the edge of my bed when there was a knocking on the door.

He and I had figured out we would be leaving early that day, to avoid wasting time with goodbyes. Okay, him wasting time with goodbyes. I'd get a wave at most. That and our train left in three hours, Argus had agreed to drive us to the train station being as though besides my shadow travel, we had no means of transportation.

Will opened up the door to my cabin with an eager smile. "Ready?"

I gave a nod, sitting up as I pulled on my jacket and strapped on my sword onto its sheath before I hauled my bag over my shoulder and walked past him. "Course I am. And you?"

He shrugged slightly as I walked past him before he closed the door to my cabin behind him. "I wouldn't be here if I weren't. "

The green flames mixed oddly with the pale morning light, making me flinch in the light. Despite not sleeping at all and I could see a bit of the light sinking in through my windows, it still made me wince. Maybe the Fates had it set in stone that I was destined to never be a morning person. Will seemed in his prime though, curse his godly parentage.

We walked to the edge of the camp, careful to be quiet, which was especially difficult when passing the Ares cabin where I had accidentally tripped on one of the shields that I hadn't noticed.

"Careful," Will muttered, helping to my feet as we continue walking.

Argus was waiting for us beside Thalia's Pine with his muscular arms crossed. His hundreds of eyes were wincing just like mine in the morning light but he started to walk down the hill.

As we were walking I glanced at Will, "How long has it been since you've seen your mom?"

He sighed quietly, keeping his eyes on the ground to keep from tripping over the innumerous tree roots and plants that seemed to try and tangle our feet up. "Too long."

We soon got to a small car which Argus hopped into the front of.

 _If he has eyes_ _ **everywhere**_ _wouldn't that mean it would hurt to_ \- I started to think then cut my own thoughts off, I really didn't need to finish that thought. Maybe the lack of sleep was getting to me.

Will and I sat in the back, awkwardly trying to avoid looking at the eyes on the back of his neck.

"You have the tickets?" I asked Will, who dug into his sweatshirt pocket before holding two of them up. "Two to New Mexico, check."

He put them back into his pocket and yawned slightly. "I was up so late packing I guess I didn't get much sleep…"

It seemed as though I wasn't the only one.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and laid his head down on my shoulder, quickly falling asleep.

Was it just my imagination or did Argus wink at me with the eye on the back of his neck. I mouthed: "Hush you." To him and his body shook in what I assumed to be a laugh.

The trees passed turning into a blur, and if it wasn't for the fact I could feel my boyfriend's breath on my neck then I may have fallen asleep as well. In the end though, I did not.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed but the sun was high in the sky by the time Argus had dropped us off at the station. He gave us a thumb up and Will smiled back, yawned, then waved him goodbye.

"Tired?" I asked him and he shrugged, "I need a lot more sleep than I've been getting lately."

We passed through the rumbling crowds that resembled the army Octavian had assembled when he attacked Camp Half-Blood; I was jabbed in the side twice with pointy briefcases. "I hate people." I grumbled, realizing it must be around eight, rush hour. Just grand, this was.

Will seemed more awake now, navigating through the crowds with ease, being polite all of the way though. "I'm sorry ma'am." "My bad, sorry." "If you could just excuse me, thank you."

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we made it to our platform and I stood against the wall rubbing my temples. "I will never understand how people do this day in and day out." I muttered, shaking my head.

Will wrapped an arm around my shoulder like he did in the car, what felt like hours ago. "Lucky you have me with you."

People passed, going about their usual normal lives and schedules. Some looked nervous; others looked like they were in their area of confidence. Business suits, pinstriped skirts, and casual clothes passed in front of my reminding me of how the trees looked in the cars. Each one was unique but when they passed by quickly they all seemed to melt into a single picture.

"That's our train," The Son of Apollo said, taking his arm off of me to pick up his bag, "I brought some food Conner may have swindled from the store for me because of a favor he owed me for."

I adjusted the strap on my bag and chuckled, "He'd swindle anything, and you just gave him a reason to."

The two of us climbed onto the train and found some seats near the back of the cabin together. "I also brought music." Will said, pulling out his IPOD out of his pocket with some earphones. "You may not like every song in there but it's better than dead silence, right?" He asked, it would be a long trip. Odds are that we wouldn't be talking the whole time. I nodded and put one of them in.

I looked at the first song and wasn't sure if he purposely did it, but the song's name was _Unconsolable_ , by _X Ambassadors_.

He tapped his fingers on the armrest to the melody, looking out of the window with distant eyes. I wondered what was going through his mind, was he completely at ease? Was he nervous at all? I was terrible at reading people and being as though he seemed to be my polar opposite it was even more difficult.

Maybe I was staring at him for a while because he glanced over at me and gave me a quizzical look. "Uh…are you zoning out or something?"

I mentally face palmed myself and shook my head quickly, holding up a hand, "No-yeah. Yeah, I was zoning out, yep."

 _Hm, I could probably wrench the door opening on the train open and throw myself off of this damn thing to save myself the embarrassment_. I mused the comforting thought but sighed. "Sorry, just thinking." I managed to save myself and he nodded.

Another bout of silence passed and three sounds passed, now we were traveling above ground passing through small towns, and occasionally briefly stopping.

One stop in particular caught me off guard; I had closed my eyes in a half-sleep and hadn't heard the lady on the speakers announce that there would be a stop coming up soon. _Screech_.

I would have gone sprawling out on the floor if Will hadn't caught me by the arm.

He helped me back onto the seat which I had become dangerously close to falling off of and chuckled. "You have to be more careful, Nico. Didn't you hear the lady say that a stop was coming up?" "No. Obviously not or I wouldn't have almost fallen." I replied back, a huff of hair escaping me as I crossed my arms.

This caused him to laugh harder.

When he caught his breath he propped his feet up on the chairs in front of us that were empty, there were only a handful of other people in the train car besides us, all of whom weren't paying us any attention.

"Have you been able to tell Hazel that you're stopping by?" He asked me, reaching over for my hand and I sighed deeply. "I've tried, something's happening and it's messing up demigod's communication. Even the wifi is getting on my nerves."

I threw my other hand up in aggravation, and gritted my teeth. It was nerve wracking the first time I had tried to talk to my sister and all I got was hazy voices. It was practically a heart attack in fact.

One sister had been taken from me, and though I stumbled upon Hazel on accident, there was no way I was going to lose her too. She had been through so much; she deserved a second chance at life. Fates be damned.

He nodded knowingly and sighed as well before he ran a hand through his hair out of habit. It was even messier than usual, but in that surfer boy kind of way. It was a good messy I'll admit it.

"I guess it'll be a surprise visit," I mumbled, sinking into my uncomfortably blue-plaid cushioned chair. Will looked over at me, "I'm glad because I haven't been able to get through to mom much either. A very small percentage of my letters actually get through."

Letters?

My mind flashed back to when Will had used the words: nick knacks.

Will was starting to sound older than I was! In mortal years, he was, but technically I was a seventy year old man. It was still difficult to wrap my mind around that. It was like trying to swallow a horse pill.

"Letters?" I asked him and he rolled his eyes, pursing his lips at me. "Yes, letters. It's a lost art that few people, including myself, still do. Gods, you're older than I am, you can't judge." He stuck his tongue out in a very childish matter.

Scratch him seeming older than me; it's clear that I was the mature one in this relationship.

"Okay, okay." I told him, suppressing a smile at his childishness.

We mindlessly talked for a while, wondering what would happen here in the next week. We'd spend two days in each place, if all went as planned, and be back at Camp in a week's time.

Around four hours on the train had passed and its lazy movements seemed to be lulling me to sleep almost as fast as being in the Hypnos Cabin would. We were in the longest stretch of the journey, across the Mid-West, there weren't many towns, and few turns. The train just rocked from one side to another, and none of the music that Will had was loud, most of it was Indie-Alternative stuff, with only a handful of exceptions.

"You tired?" Will murmured in my ear, only then did I realize my head was on his shoulder and my eyes felt heavy. "Mmm." I hummed, feeling myself slip into unconsciousness to Will's gentle laughter. His chest rising and falling, his steady heartbeat, it was better than any sleeping pill that he could have prescribed.

When I woke up, Will gently nudged my shoulder. "Here we are, Nico, wake up."

I opened my eyes, rubbing the sleep out of them with my left hand as I stood up with a yawn. He picked up my bag and handed it to me before stepping off of the train with me fast on his heels.

"Where…?" I started to say when Will pointed to a bus station across the road. "That bus always stops by my house when mom or I are riding."

I hadn't seen the name of the town where my boyfriend had lived before knowing he was a half-blood and that his life would permanently be in danger, seeing as though I was fast asleep at that point.

We crossed the street and stood leaned against the walls surrounding the small stop. I realized how utterly out of place I looked compared to the people who passed by. I was pale, dressed in black (which is a no-no in the desert for all of you who don't know), and an aviator jacket. Aphrodite would have had a heart attack if she saw me.

Will seemed like he was in his zone, the setting sun and faint breeze rolling across the flat land stretching in every direction made him let out a breath of relief. He was home.

"I can't wait to get back." He muttered, and grinned at me, "Mom'll love you."

I nodded as I saw the headlights of the bus coming down the long road. "So you've told me, only time will tell."

The bus pulled up and the bus driver grinned at me, a hefty man with a scar on his cheek, but seemed harmless enough looked in my direction. Only after he spoke did it occur to me that he wasn't happy to see me.

"Will Solace! Good to see you m'boy!" He exclaimed, and Will stepped in front of me. "Hey Greg, listen. This here is Nico, we're on our way to see my mom."

"Greg" waved his hand behind him. "Why didn't you say so? Hop on boys."

I flashed Will a doubtful look but he gave me a smile that just said: _humor me, would you_?

We climbed on and sat towards the front, me on the inside of the seat while Will chatted idly with the bus driver who talked on and on about the town and how business is doing well. It seemed like another language, he talked about places, people, and events that I had never heard of in my life. Eventually I gave up and just watched the surrounding around me pass by like I had on the train.

Finally the bus came to a halt with the brakes straining, and the sun had fully set.

Will looked like a five year old who had been handed a Happy Meal.

We got off the bus and Greg even waved me goodbye, maybe if I knew him for longer I would actually be on speaking basis with him. Sadly, that wasn't the case.

The bus sped off again, leaving behind a slight dust trail in its wake, and across from us we saw an old, but clean, two story whit country house with a wraparound porch. Will's home.

His smile was completely at ease and he took a step towards it, reaching over for my hand. Seeing him so at peace made me feel happy for him. I gave his hand a small squeeze. "Let's go."

We stepped across the road and over to the house, not running but by no means were we taking our time.

By the time we got to the front door and knocked my heart had twisted into that familiar knot. _What if she doesn't like me_? _Why am I worried about that? Since when have I cared if people like me?_

Those questions ran through my head as Will reached up and knocked on the door three times.

Thirty second passed until a woman who was a few inches shorter than Will but still taller than me ( DAMMIT) with soft blue eyes and dirty blond hair in a braid over her shoulder opened the door.

"Hey mom." Will said quietly before embracing his mother. She let out a sigh of relief and closed her eyes. "Will…" She murmured, getting teary eyed before she looked at her son. "You've grown so much…taller than me."

Will awkwardly rubbed his neck, _was that a blush of embarrassment_? "I guess you can blame dad for that." She waved her hand absentmindedly and stood up on her toes to kiss his forehead. "I'm just glad to see you again."

She step back and saw me, with her eyes widening. "Is this… _him_?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Will nodded and stepped aside. "Mom, this is Nico di Angelo. Nico, this is my mom, Naomi Solace."

I held out my hand, trying for a smile. "Nice to meet you." "Good to finally meet you too." She said before pulling her hand back to go inside. "I have some food still warm." She called from inside the house.

Will laughed as we both heard her call, "He held out his hand using good manners, William, you could learn a thing or two!"

"Does she normally talk to you like that?" I asked him and he slipped the bag off of his shoulder.

"She teases me relentlessly. It's only fine because that means I can do it to her too. We never mean any of it but I can tell she likes you already." He explained setting his bag on the floor beside the door and I did the same.

He closed the door behind me and I remembered just how much I loved the AC, which we hadn't had on the bus or while we were outside. This was paradise in a house, bless Naomi Solace.

Will led me through the house, past an assortment of picture with a bright eyed Will, one of them with his front teeth missing. He was a cute kid, in those pictures when he grinned his eyes would scrunch up, something I happened to find endearing sweet. It kind of reminded me of myself before everything went to shit.

The kitchen was towards the back of the house, with a small table to eat around and Naomi Solace was heating up two bowls of soup for us. "I wish you had have told me you were coming, I could have straightened everything up." She muttered, trying to put the dishes away and I held up a hand. "I can help if you want, I don't mind."

In retrospect, I don't even remember if my mouth acted on its own or not.

Thankfully, she waved a hand. "No, Nico, it's alright. You're a guest here. I was bound to have to do it eventually."

The microwave beeped and Will handed me my bowl of soup. "Ma, you made your comfort food, everything okay here?" He asked, and I looked down at the potato soup. Good comfort food.

She walked over carrying a cup of what smelled like tea in her hands and nodded. "I'm better; I was getting worried because I hadn't heard anything from you." I looked at her, wondering if my mom had still been alive if she would have been this caring towards me. She reminded me a bit of Sally Jackson in that sense.

"Ms. Solace," Is started and she gave me a gentle smile, "Please, Naomi." "Naomi…the communications at camp have been a bit haywire lately. The fact Will could get _anything_ through is a bit of a miracle." Sadly, that wasn't the case.

She gave a small nod and then looked between the two of us. She made eye contact with Will, seeming to have a telepathic conversation in a matter of seconds like they were telepaths or something.

"Oh!" Will finally said then reached across the table for my hand. "Yeah, mom. We're together."

Did my ears deceive me or did he seem slightly bashful with admitting that?

Naomi Solace set her tea down then smiled at me. "You be good to my son, okay?" It didn't seem like she was threatening me, more so handing off the baton so to speak. She realized she couldn't look after her son much longer so she was entrusting her care to me.

"Ma." Will said, "He's not proposing to me or anything."

"I know, but I think your boyfriend understands what I'm saying." She said, her eyes still trained on me, and I nodded. "I will, I promise."

An hour passed of them catching up, her asking me fairly easy questions to answer, and a general feeling of peace. This was what he needed, I knew, a place to get away from everything. A safe haven, where he could joke, and not feel like he has people looking up to him, have people's lives in his hands, he just wanted to be himself without any pressure for a little bit.

"Would you please take your things up to your room?" She asked Will and I stood up, "I can do it, you two have a bit of catching up to do still."

He looked at me and shook his head, "It's really no problem-" "Will, stay here and catch up with your mom. You have a chance I didn't."

Okay, maybe I was pulling the guilt card but still, I felt like an intruder. They needed this time together, without my prying eyes.

I grabbed my bag and his and walked up the stairs easily carrying them both up the dozen steps. It was easy to tell which room was Will's because the door was open, he had college things sprawled on the closest dresser, and an numerous amount of sandals and flip-flips.

I set the bags down by the closet and saw one photo that caught my attention. It was of him, pretty recently, actually really recently. I was in the picture.

The memory of an old Polaroid that was found in the camp store edged into my thoughts and I remembered Will sprinting into my cabin with it in his hands and jumped on my bed. "Surprise photo time!" He exclaimed snapping a picture of me caught in the middle of a laugh because of how ridiculous he was being. He was grinning with his eyes closed in his usual sunshine way. On the back of it he had wrote:

 _Hey Mom,_

 _Things have slowed down at camp after the battle. I found this Polaroid and it reminded me of you, and you asked to see Nico, here he is. Had to catch him off guard because his smiles are rare but it was worth it._

 _~Will_

"You're such a dork." I muttered, shaking my head as I set it down.

"Having fun with my stuff?" Asked a familiar voice from behind me, and I turned to find Will leaning in the doorway. "Mom said to get to bed because it's almost midnight, which is why I'm up here but what do I find…"

He walked over with a small smile and his eyes landed on the photo. "Oh yeah, the photo bombing." He picked it up from where I had set it down and used my shoulder for an arm rest.

I frowned slightly at him and he set down the picture once more, before going over to the bag. "Sorry, we kind of…don't have a guest bedroom…"

He opened it up and pulled out some of his pj's before he set it down and shrugged, "If you don't want to sleep in my bedroom with me I can move to the couch downstairs. I'll go get changed while you think."

As soon as he left I already knew what I wanted, and I shut the door and I quickly got changed as well. I threw on my Ramones shirt and some gray sweatpants and leaned on his dresser looking around and finally out of his window. It was pointed west so it seemed every day at dusk he could watch the sunset.

When he came back he tossed the clothes he had been wearing today on his bag and looked at me. "So?" "I'll stay up here. I'm not going to make you go and sleep on your couch when I'm a guest in your house. If anything _I_ should be doing that." I replied, crossing my arms across my chest and he rolled his eyes in reply.

"Seriously, Nico? I'm your boyfriend; I'm not going to make you sleep on my couch." He stated, crossing his arms in a mirror image of myself.

I sighed then stopped myself, laughing quietly. "We're having an argument about where we should sleep."

Will started to laugh too, slowly, "I guess you're right. You normally are, when you aren't being dense." "Hush you." I replied, and Will walked over laughing. "Never."

He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me. "Thank you for asking me to come along with you."

My mind was officially in a puddle, and I just nodded. "No problem." Was all I could say and will just smile, "Come on, you need your sleep."

We walked over to the bed and chuckled quietly. "Get some good sleep, okay? Doctor's orders."


	11. I Hate Goodbyes Too

((Author's Note: Sorry, I think my chapters are progressively getting longer and longer as I go, my apologies.))

 _Bang_! _Crash_!

There was a crashing from downstairs, loud enough to wake me up and I sat up looking around but my vision was disoriented.

Even though I could barely see with my blurry morning sight, there was one thing that I knew, Will wasn't in bed with me. His room was empty.

 _Oh gods, where is he_? I thought, throwing the covers off of myself as I went to get my sword from where it was lying with my things.

"Will!" I heard Naomi Solace exclaim from what sounded like the kitchen, making my heart race. _What is happening?!_ I thought, taking the steps down three at a time and I ran to the kitchen.

My boyfriend was kneeling there on the floor covered in flour, with a glass bowl on the ground in front of him, shattered. He had a few shards in his hands. "Ow," he muttered, shaking his hands before he glanced up and saw me. His mom was knelling next to him with her hand on his shoulder and looked up at me too.

Naomi saw my sword which had been raised, and I felt like hitting Will in the head with the butt of it for making me worry. It sounded like he was in danger!

"Sorry, I thought that…the crash worried me." I stated, setting it down on the wall beside the table as I knelt down beside Will, who was trying to pick up the shards.

And he tells _me_ to be careful.

"Will, stand up, I'm going to go clean you up. You're bleeding." I told him, helping him up by him arms. Naomi gave me a grateful smile. "I'll clean this up, thank you Nico."

We walked over to the bathroom and he sighed quietly. "I wanted to make breakfast for you and my hand kinda slipped on the bowl while I was trying to pick up the whisk I had dropped and…well you know the rest."

His voice was soft, and I picked up a nearby rag and pulled out the first aid kit, I could get the shards out at the very least. He could direct me if he really felt the need to, but being a demigod you always needed the basics to necessities like this.

He sat on the counter and I stayed standing, his hands were over the sink, stained crimson red. They weren't deep cuts but I still hated to see him hurt.

"It's alright, thanks for the thought, but what a way to wake up in the morning." I muttered, grabbing some teasers from the kit and he let out a dry laugh. "Sorry, you came in looking like you were ready to kill."

I looked at him quietly. "I heard a crashing, you weren't in bed with me, I heard your mom yell and I thought that monsters had attacked. So yeah, I was ready to kill."

His face fell and he closed his eyes. "My bad, I'm really sorry."

All I could do was nod, my hands were shaking slightly as the fear that something bad would happen to him because he was around me came back faster that the train we rode here on. Thank the gods that this wasn't what I thought it was but it scared me halfway to hell.

I started to take out the shards, Will winced slightly but stayed quiet, finally twenty minutes later, his hands were glass free. "Now comes the fun part." I told him with a small sigh, pulling out the disinfectant. He closed his eyes in apprehension.

"This is going to suck." He grumbled, biting his lip as I ran the disinfectant over his hands. He muttered a long string of Greek curses under his break and took a long ragged breath.

Then I pulled out the bandages and pointed at him. "No more cooking for you, I'll cook from now on if there's a choice between the two of us." "Come on, I was _trying_ to be careful." He complained as I wrapped the bandages around where the shards were. Luckily there weren't too many cuts on his fingers so it was mostly his palms and such.

"Look where you are now." I replied as I finished wrapping on hand and I held out my palm for his other hand.

He sighed and held out his left hand, placing it in my palm as I began to wrap it gently. "Why is it you always are so good at arguing?" He grumbled and I chuckled. "Maybe it's just in my nature."

"I managed to save some of the pancakes, so come back in when you're done please." Naomi said, with her easy to listen to voice carrying through the first story of the house like a breeze. Maybe that's why Apollo had fallen for her, however briefly he had. She had a strong spirit, that was plain easy to tell. Anybody who can send their child off knowing they're out of your control, but trusting that they'll be okay is pretty strong in my book.

It made me wonder about my mom, I knew bits and pieces from my past and her personality. I liked to think she'd be something like a mix between Percy and Will's moms. But I guess I'll never know. Unless she stayed in Elysium unlike Bianca, maybe then I would know…

"So what are the plans for today?" I asked him, after I finished with his left hand and he hopped off of the counter. "Hang out here; it's been so long since I've been _home_. I think that's what mom had in mind to."

He held up his hands like looked like half wrapped mummy hands. "Don't get me wrong! Camp is my home too but this…this is where I grew up, it's my roots." "I understand Will, it's fine." I told him glancing in the mirror and nearly winced.

I was in dire need of a shower.

"After breakfast would you mind if I," I nodded to the shower to out right and he nodded. "It's fine, now let's go. I'm in the mood for pancakes."

The two of us headed through the house, and I noted it smelled like lavender. An assortment of old pictures of everything from sunsets to a meadow in the peak of spring hung on the walls giving me the impression she liked to take pictures a lot, possibly why Will mentioned the Polaroid in the picture.

Inside the kitchen the smell of pancakes wafted around the room, it was something that I could get used to. The house gave off a peaceful feeling; _this_ is what a family should feel like.

"Mhm, smells amazing Naomi." I said finding myself smiling and she smiled back, "It's been awhile since I've had to cook for anybody but myself, so I'm glad it does smell good."

She walked over and gave me a quick hug and kissed my forehead, "Good morning by the way, sorry for the stressful wake up."

I stopped, it seemed like the Solace family were huggers.

 _Not that I'm complaining_.

"It's alright, good morning to you too." I replied, my smile growing bigger by the minute. I definitely see how she got a god's attention.

Will frowned from behind me, "You didn't say good morning to me." "Excuse me, Will, but I was busy fixing you up." I replied and he rolled his eyes at me. "Excuses, excuses."

We sat down around the table and he looked up at his mom. "Does my nose deceive me-" "No, Will, I put in almond flavoring just like you always ask for." She told him, using a spatula to put the silver dollar pancakes onto our plates.

The Son of Apollo placed a bandaged hand over his heart. "You _do_ love me."

Naomi laughed and shook her head. "Was that even questionable to begin with?" "You and Nico both like to argue with me, don't you?" He answered the question with a question but I could see his smile reflected that of his mom's.

He also got his freckles from her; they dusted her shoulders which I could see because she was wearing a green halter top with some jeans and turquoise jewelry.

Next time I needed ambrosia it would taste like Naomi Solace's pancakes, they were a piece of heaven straight from Olympus I tell you.

"These are fantastic." I told her, stuffing my face with them and Will laughed, eating slower than I was for the first time in a life time. "I think that's the most I've seen him eat ever, mom, you're a miracle worker." He said as I ate another one.

She laughed and looked over her shoulder at the gas stove. "Do I need to make another batch?" "No, I wouldn't want you to-" I started to say and Will raised an eyebrow at me doubtfully.

He held up a hand and then pointed his fork at me. "Ma, he would feel guilty if he said yes but it's written all over his face. If you make the batch we could cook it on the stove." He offered and she finished the two left on her plate before standing up.

"Will, I don't get to do much for you anymore, I can cook another round of pancakes, I'm not an old grandma yet."

 _Yet_.

 _Wait, what_?

Will seemed pleasantly oblivious to her comment, if it was intentional or unintentional I didn't know.

I hadn't actually thought about a "family" with Will and suddenly the idea consumed my thoughts, maybe we could adopt an orphan at one of the camps or something. Almighty Apollo knew there was an abundance of them who needed somebody to look out for them.

 _Nico, stop it. You are a fourteen year old, you are_ _ **not**_ _thinking about starting a family with your boyfriend who you haven't even had for a week now._ I scolded myself, praying that my face hadn't given away my thoughts by lighting up red like a Christmas tree.

"You go be an independent woman then mom." Will said shrugging with his smile seemingly not leaving his face. "Nico, you're staring. Again."

 _FUCK_.

"Sorry, thinking." I said quickly, shaking my head as I averted my gaze. He chuckled. "Don't hurt yourself."

I looked up at him, scowling. "I will not hesitate to throw my fork at you." "But I'm already crippled…" He pouted, holding up his hands, reminding me of a puppy who was trying to guilt trip you into giving them some food.

And damn it worked.

I rolled my eyes and set my fork down.

After breakfast I felt thoroughly stuffed and regretted eating that much but it had been so good, at the minute I was walking to the bathroom to take a shower I simultaneously wanted to crawl into Will's bed and fall asleep.

The shower was warmer than I usually had it but I didn't mind it for once.

Twenty minutes later I stepped out with a fresh pair of clothes and damp hair.

Will and his mom were in the living room, which was a square room which had a door out to the wraparound porch. It had two evergreen green couches and a tan rug over warm hardwood floors and potted plants hanging from the ceiling and a shelf with even more pictures and paintings.

This house, I noted, had only one t.v. and that was an older one that was in the kitchen. It was kind of refreshing, knowing Will didn't grow up in front of the t.v. watching mindless shows. (Or at least the shows I knew kids were watching now were mindless. Shows like _Uncle Grandpa_ I wanted to burn with Greek fire.)

They were hunched over a large book, I realized, was a scrap book.

"Mind if I join?" I asked and Will nodded, tossing one of the spare pillows onto the opposing couch as I sat down.

They were pictures of him with his mom. "Most of these she took with her Polaroid," He explained, "That made me think of her when I found that old one in the camp store. I may have accidentally lost it when I was nine…" He added rubbing the back of his neck as he looked down at the book in his lap.

One of them showed him when he looked around seven by the sea playing volleyball with some older people that looked like college guys. He still had his front teeth missing and was giggling.

(I hate using that word, "giggling" sounds so frilly, I only ever use it when describing kids because Hades knows if somebody described my laugh as "giggling" I would shadow travel them to the top of the lava wall and push them off of it. All while "giggling". )

"That was when we took a road trip for Will's eighth birthday." She explained, and I looked to the picture right below.

One of the guys must have accidentally hit the ball too hard but the shot was of Will falling down as the ball hit him in the head. _Good shot_. I though, laughing and Will rolled his eyes. "I wasn't paying attention, that's the only reason I was hit." "Sure." I said leaning closer to the book.

He flipped through the books and I could see him growing up through the years, each picture he looked a little different. It was understandable why people kept scrapbooks like this, sometimes you could forget how much you've changed in a matter of a year.

His mom would interject whenever Will was being dramatic with a story: "Will, a bald eagle did _not_ swoop down and steal your hot dog at Yellowstone." "You didn't try to climb on top of Abraham Lincoln and try to recite the Gettysburg Address. You did that at the base of his statue."

"You were an adorable kid." I told him as we finally closed the book. He turned up his palms and leaned back. "You say that like I'm not adorable now."

There was no way I was going to tell him that's _exactly_ how I would describe him now.

That would be modifying and he'd never let me live that down, I could picture it now. We'd be old men, in rocking chairs, looking out over the sunset and he would say in his gravely old voice. "Still think I'm adorable, Lord of Darkness?"

 _What the hell is my mind coming to_? I thought as I frowned at him. "Will, you are fifteen years old. You aren't adorable."

In a low voice I muttered, "You're handsome, dammit."

"What was that?" He asked in an innocent tone and Naomi laughed. "I need to get something to drink; I'll leave you two to flirt."

"Mom!" Will said, turning bright red faster than a cartoon character.

She walked away with a laugh like she knew something we didn't, or it was just a teasing laugh…I needed to get better at reading people.

After she had left the room Will closed the book and sat it on the coffee table between the two couches and rubbed his neck. "Sorry, she likes to tease, like a mentioned…"

I laughed and looked at the photo album, "I don't mind."

At lunch we ate some Ruben sandwiches (that woman couldn't cook a bad meal if she tried), and she looked at us. "So where are you two off to tonight?" "Berkley Hills," I replied, "California." She nodded and took another bite of her sandwich and swallowed before saying. "That's near San Francisco, right?"

"Right."

She nodded, "The train that comes through town goes out west, I'll drive you there tonight if you want."

I smiled and nodded. "That would be fantastic, thank you." "It's my pleasure." She replied, looking between her son and me.

In order to make the train we'd have to be there at six, which was only four hours away.

The way Will looked around the house I could tell he was trying to take in every detail even though something told me he already knew every detail of the place like the back of his hand. He watched his mom clean up in the hallway as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed after lunch.

"I forgot how much I missed this place, now that I'm here…" he muttered, and I put my hand on his shoulder. "Will, if you want to stay here while I go to Camp Jupiter that would be understandable. I wouldn't mind, I mean here is where your mom is-"

He shook my hand off of his shoulder and sighed. "You know as well as I do that if I stay any longer I may not ever leave. Seeing mom, I can tell how lonely she is…besides I have to look out for you to make sure you won't get hurt." He said, attempting a smile but his eyes were glassy.

Trying to lighten the mood, I lightly punched his shoulder. "Says the one who had to be bandaged up earlier." "You aren't going to let me live that down, huh?" He asked, his smile growing slightly but it was sad to see him like this.

He excused himself to get his things together when I heard Naomi ask me to come to the kitchen where she had something in her hands.

Her eyes reflected what Will's had looked like. "Since you're leaving tonight, and I'm just dropping you off…I don't want to get too emotional with goodbyes so I wanted you to give him this…"

It was a smaller book but it was unmistakable a photo album. "I may have taken the liberty to put in some of the picture we took together then, and notes and such…so if he ever misses home it won't feel too far away…" Her eyes were definitely teary now and I held up my hands. "No, no. please don't cry." I told her, gently taking the book from her hands.

She wiped her eyes and put her hands on my shoulders. "I'm glad you found Will, he's in good hands. He cares so much about others that he often forgets to take care of himself…" I nodded, that had occurred to me as well but knowing that his mom could see it as well worried me slightly. Was I not doing a good enough job at being there for him?

"I'll take care of him, I promise."

Naomi laughed quietly and leaned back on the counter, "I know, you rushed in here with your sword thinking he was in trouble."

An embarrassed laugh escaped me as I rubbed the back of my neck. "I…uh…sorry about that by the way." "No need for apologies. It's fine." I replied, and I heard the shower in the bathroom turn on.

Taking the chance to slip it into his bag while he wasn't in the room, I quickly left and walked upstairs to his room and opened up his bag before stuffing it inside.

I sat down on his bed and looked around wondering what it might have been like, was he homeschooled, did she know about Apollo being a god before Will was sent to camp? Probably, now that I was thinking about it.

What was it like for Will first getting to camp?

There were still so many things I didn't know about him, probably just as many things that he didn't know about me. I hoped I would be able to have him confide in me more, but that seemed like a hypocritical thing to say when I still had so much trouble coming to him when I needed help.

 _Why are relationships so stressful_?

"Hey Nico." Will said walking in, dressed in a faded orange t-shirt that I assumed was one of his camp T-shirts. He seemed to have a lot of them. He had on worn out jeans that were cut off just above his knees and a pair of blue flip-flops.

"Hey Will." I replied as he sat down on the bed next to me. He held out a thin white headband that I hadn't noticed he was carrying and pursed his lips. "This was on the doorknob of the bathroom with a note from mom."

He held up a finger and tried to impersonate his mom's voice, the voice reminded me of that furry red creature (Elmo I think was its name?). "I'm not going to tell you to cut your hair but at least pull it back."

I laughed at the voice he made and how he stiffened his back so it looked like he was trying to be a British nanny or something, combined with the voice I couldn't stop laughing. He laughed too, and pulled it on. At first it looked like a necklace because it was hanging around his neck and he puffed out his chest. "Could I pull off this look?"

Then it hit me, he was trying to pretend that he was completely okay. He was being overly funny so that I wouldn't worry and it _nearly_ worked. That was what concerned me. I should know him better than that!

"Will." I stated, sitting up again and he looked at me confused, "What, Nico?"

He pulled it over his hair, though a few loos strands popped out and hung in front of his eyes, I could finally see his forehead.

I leaned on my knees and held up my chin on my right hand. "You're pulling a Leo." "Leo…?" He asked, not following and I waved my hand as I explained. "Covering up sadness with humor, haven't you noticed?" "The few times we hung out he seemed pretty-" He cut himself off and his lips formed a straight line.

"Okay, I see what you mean." He waved his hands and shook his head. "But I'm not doing-" "William Solace, that is _exactly_ what you're doing." I replied not looking away from him.

He sighed and looked at the ground. "Better do that than worry you and mom." "No it's not; I am your boyfriend, meaning I'm here for you. You're supposed to come and talk to me if you ever feel down, alright?"

I got up off of the bed and stood in front of him and tilted his chin up so he'd look at me. "Alright?" I repeated, frowning slightly at him.

 _And he calls me dense._

"Alright." He murmured and I sat down beside him.

He didn't look over at me and I reached over and put my hand on his shoulder. "Come on, talk to me, what do you need right now?"

Will didn't reply, but he did turn and wrap his arms, pressing his face into the crook of my neck. "Let me just stay like this for a while okay?"

I nodded and closed my eyes, wrapping my arms around his back. He didn't want to leave, he wanted to stay with his mom, he felt guilty for leaving his mom alone, he felt guilty even still because of all of the deaths he believed were his fault…he just needed to feel like he wasn't alone.

 _Maybe I do know him better than I thought I did_ …

We stayed like that for a solid five minutes, not that I had been counting or anything.

He pulled back and gave me a small smile. "Thanks Nico." I smiled back and gave him a small nod.

We walked downstairs and I found Naomi in the living room. I crossed my arms and tapped my foot, trying to figure out what to do. "Everybody is getting so down, before we go we need to do something that isn't emotional at all, and fun. Any board games? Monopoly?"

Will cringed, "Ew, no."

That was really the only board game I knew that was still around from _my_ time.

"Mythlomagic…?" I ventured and he laughed. "Sadly, no. Mom could never figure it out."

Naomi shrugged helplessly. "It's all a bunch of strategies I don't understand."

Bless your heart you poor woman for never being introduced to the magical game that is Mythlomagic.

Then Will shot up like a jack-in-the-box and ran over to a cabinet in the far left corner and pulled out a game with a grin. "In the mood for Trouble?"

Trouble, as I soon learned, was a game all about luck that could get insanely intense. You popped a bubble that had a dice in it and that determined where your different colored peg went.

"Oh my gods, you could have moved a different peg, Will! Why'd you take out mine?!" I asked, throwing my hands up as my red peg got sent back to the start by Will's yellow. He cackled and rubbed his hands together. "All's fair in love and war, Mr. di Angelo." "I hate you." "Love you too." He replied with a wink as Naomi went, taking out Will's peg.

He stood up and pointed at the board. "No fair!" "How in the world could I cheat at a game like this?" She replied laughing. "Sit down; you're being more dramatic than your father was."

There was another line of Greek curses that escaped my boyfriend's mouth. If I told Naomi she'd probably wash his mouth out with soap, but I didn't because I had a sailor's mouth as well. Only I cursed in Italian most of the time.

"Four pegs in home, I won!" She exclaimed standing up, and I clapped for her. "Good job, I know if this one," I nodded to Will, "had have won I wouldn't have heard the end of it." "You can bet your angsty butt on that." Will replied, poking my side with my finger.

She laughed again then checked the clock in the corner of the room and looked outside. "You boys better get your things together; we'll have to leave here in ten minutes." She told us, as she began to pack up the game.

I got up and stretched, feeling like my back was stiff before I headed upstairs and Will was close on my heels. We picked up our things and he cast a wistful look around the place.

"Do you need a few minutes?" I asked him and he shook his head. "No, better not to." He replied, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

He didn't notice that it weighed a few extra pounds.

The Son of Apollo walked around each room briefly almost saying a silent goodbye with his eyes before he walked out onto the porch to wait until his mom started up the car.

"This was nice." I said quietly, looking out at the setting sun, lighting up the clouds in pastels from pink to purple. There was a soft breeze and he closed his eyes. "It was, I can't thank you enough for taking me with you."

I looked over at him and laughed, "I wasn't just going to leave you behind." "I know _that_ , but still."

I nodded quietly and we watched the sun grow closer to the horizon with each passing minute.

"Come on, boys, time to go!" Naomi called from the other end of the house and I stood up with Will as he took a long breath before going to his mom's car.

The ride there passed faster than I would have hoped, I was already growing nostalgic about the house, Will must have been going through hell.

Finally the station came into view and Naomi stopped the car and parked it. "You'll come visit again I hope?" She asked me and I nodded, "I wouldn't miss it for the world." She laughed, "Thank you."

We all got out and paid for our tickets, the time to board was only a few minutes away. "Will…" She started then hugged him, "Be safe, please." "I will." He murmured, with his voice cracking. "You had better look out for him, he's a keeper." She added, and I laughed quietly.

They let go and he gave her a sad smile. "I love you mom." "I love you too, Will." She replied, getting teary eyes and she took a step back. "I'd better leave, if I have to see you off then the waterworks will come and nobody wants that." She rambled slightly before giving me a hug. "It was good to meet you Nico."

She gave us a small wave and walked away without turning around.

Will sighed and looked at the ground. "I hate goodbyes." He muttered, shaking his head as the rumbling of train could be heard off in the distance.

I took his hand in mind, squeezing it softly. He looked down at me, "Can you promise me we won't say goodbye to each other?"

All I wanted was to say yes. Yes, I'd never have to leave, yes I'd never die and I wouldn't have to say goodbye.

But I couldn't.

So I was silent, I gave his hand a small squeeze and said softly, "I can promise I'll do everything I can to make sure that never happens."

With that, we boarded the train, hand in hand. To whatever our trip held in store for us next.


	12. Welcome to Camp Jupiter

This train ride, like the last, was long, but not as long as the first one had been luckily. Though, with us getting on so late we were going to pull into the Berkley around midnight. From there, I managed to convince Will to shadow travel to the entrance of the Camp.

It was around nine when I began to nod off and I put my head on the crook of his shoulder. "Go to sleep, Nico. It's fine." He murmured, shifting so that it was a little more comfortable and he laid his head on mine with a small smile.

"Do you think you could ever give him what he needs?" A familiar voice nearly hissed in my dreams. It was a voice I wished I wouldn't hear in my lifetime or afterlife.

Sitting in the ruins of a temple that was once his, in a pristine white suit, with one leg up as he twirled an arrow around his finger was Cupid. His carmine red eyes glowered at me as his lips curved upwards in a cruel smile, his dark hair was tied back meaning I could see his full face.

Clouds hung overhead giving his an even more menacing and eerie look than before, it felt like a place that should be bustling with people, or once was, and then was deserted. A ghost land.

His snowy white wings looked gray from the dimmed light, like he was angel of death, rather than love...or at least _his_ version of it. His twisted, cruel version of it.

I reached for my sword, pulling it out as I held it ready in front of me and pointed at him, knowing full well that his words could hurt far more than any weapon he had could. He didn't need his bow and arrows, which was the scariest part. He didn't rely on talons, claws, or his wings even. He just needed his voice and it was enough to keep my nightmares coming back.

Something gave me the feeling though this wasn't me falling back into those awful memories, he was speaking to me directly for whatever reason.

It didn't take much to know he had some vendetta; perhaps pouring my soul out in front of him for Diocletian's Scepter wasn't enough for the god of love.

"What the hell do you want?" I snarled, and he put the arrow back into its sheath before standing up, I blinked once and he was gone, the ground curled around where he once stood.

"Oh Nico," He said, his voice a whisper in my ear, "Did you think I was through with you?"

I turned around; slashing my sword but all I found was empty air.

Cupid was standing on a set of crumbling stairs to my right. "Your sword won't do you any good, Son of Hades." "Should I raise the dead then? They seemed to pin you down well enough last time." I growled, standing my ground though my throat seemed to want to close up.

His laugh echoed around me. "Clever trick, but if you must know, I don't need to pry your emotions out of you this time. They're clear as the guilt you carry around. I don't want that fun to grow old, so I'll save it for another time."He crooned, as if talking about planning an exciting event that was meant to be enjoyable.

Who was he to talk about guilt, emotions? His emotions were like roaring beasts that needed to be constantly fed so that they wouldn't turn around and kill you instead of the food that you have previously been giving them.

"I'll ask again, Cupid, _what the hell do you want_?" I repeated and he grinned and stepped down one of the steps pointing at me, "Angry I see, that's good. You haven't forgotten about me then."

 _I wish I could_. I thought and his laugh became more sinister.

"As long as you feel something close to love, even if it that frilly schoolgirl version you feel for the Son of Apollo, you'll be seeing me." He said, his voice making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Then he was gone again, leaving a silence so still that it seemed as if time had stopped. I looked around trying to keep my panic at bay.

Now he was standing five feet behind me and I turned, keeping my eyes trained on him. "What did I do to you, why do you keep-" "Tormenting you?" He asked, his eyes flashing with anger, he stepped closer to me the air around him humming dangerously, those arrows glinted in the light faintly coming through the gray clouds hanging over us like shadows.

"You, Mr. di Angelo, are the son of death. Your father shouldn't have created life-shouldn't have created you." He said and I felt the ground shaking around my feet as my blood boiled.

Anger filled my being and consumed my thoughts. Suddenly I forgot about my panic, and everything I hated about the gods came back to me like a tidal wave. Sure there were good in them, but to me, he represented everything bad about them. Manipulating me to do what they want, which was the only way I could in turn get anything to help myself and others. He toyed with my emotions as if I were some machine, trying to figure out what may happened if he pressed one button, wondering what would go wrong if he clipped a wire.

I pointed my sword at him, my voice deathly low. "I'm tired of you. I'm tired of the gods thinking that they can use and manipulate me because my father broke a promise that hadn't even been created yet. I'm so _damn_ tired of you because you remind me of just how much I hate myself!" My voice was more of a scream now and skeletal hands forced their ways through the cracks Cupid was standing on and I saw his smirk fade.

"Now get out of my dreams, and if you even _think_ about visiting Will in his...then I'm going to find my way back to your ruins and understand why children of Hades are feared." I told him slashing my sword at him as I woke up.

Will was shaking my shoulder. "Nico, we're almost here."

I shook my head, feeling like my head was splitting apart from the headache that I got.

"You okay?" He asked, pressing his hand against my forehead as if checking to see if I had a fever and I shoved his hand away. "Will. I'm fine. Bad dream."

He nodded, not prying thankfully, but that made me want to tell him more. Besides, he brought up Will, and so what if I didn't feel "lust" or anything for him yet, I'm fourteen! At this minute I was ready to do what I said I would to Cupid without him even having to torment my boyfriend.

"It was Cupid." I started to say, and he nodded. "If you don't want to you don't have to tell me though." He assured me and I gave him a small smile. "Thanks, but I think this is important in case he decides to pay a little visit to you.

I explained the dream and Will looked impressed, "Damn, if I were him I'd be shaking in my white suit." I laughed slightly and rolled my eyes, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off of my chest.

We pulled into the station and I looked at Will, "How are you _not_ tired?" "Let's just say a lady selling coffee passed by and I may have had three cups." He said, only then did I realize his finger was tapping the armrest of the seat he was in. It reminded me of Leo, only Will didn't sleep around engines and Will didn't hide his emotions as much. And he wasn't Spanish.

The train pulled to a stop and we climbed off, Will looked at me. "Ready to shadow travel, I have the special gum with me-" "It'll be fine, Will. Just take my hand." I told him, holding out mine and he sighed slightly before holding it.

I concentrated on the entrance, the highway close by, the doors that looked like a maintenance tunnel and two guards standing in front of it, I felt the shadows of the midnight hour consume the two of us. Will's grip on my hand tightened and I saw his eyes were shut.

A moment later, we were standing outside of the entrance with two guards standing out front trying to stay awake. A girl and guy were standing there, one of them jumped when they saw us and she straightened her helmet.

"T-The Ambassador of Pluto!" She exclaimed, and I held up a hand, "Son of Hades, actually. Anyhow I'm not here on business from my father; I'm here on friendlier terms."

The guy nodded and looked at Will with a slight frown, "I think I saw him during the battle against Gaea, a medic right?"

"Greek medic, yep." Will added, before giving a one handed wave as he took back his hand from mine. "Will Solace, Son of Apollo."

They nodded and let us through.

The girl, Elina, daughter of Aquilon, walked with us. "So it's your first time here?" She asked, addressing Will and he nodded. "Yeah, it's fine if I'm here, right? Me being…"

He didn't finish it but she shrugged, "Greek? Yeah it's fine. Seeing as though," Elina nodded to me, "and Percy were both Greek and were welcomed it isn't a big deal. You won't be able to participate in any of the war games or anything of that sort but yeah. Though I apologize in advance if there are any people still bearing grudges, it seems Octavian's viewpoints didn't die with him all together."

Elina must have been one of the people who, thankfully, weren't siding with Octavian.

Will raised an eyebrow as he looked around through the tunnel, noticing the lights were slowly turning into torches as we passed and the floor was turning into mosaics the longer we walked.

I'll give Camp Jupiter one thing, the sheer size of it the first time I saw it left me without words. It could easily consume Camp Half-Blood.

"Oh, Octavian." Will said, suddenly remembering his distant relative who died in a fiery ball of flame.

We stepped out and saw the Little Tiber. "Welcome to Camp Jupiter." I said, still amazed at the sheer size of it. "I can go down to Camp with him myself, thank you Elina." "It's my job." She added with a shrug before she turned on her heels and left.

The Son of Apollo seemed at a loss for words as he looked out over the camp, the Field of Mars, the temples that lines the hills, New Rome, everything. The Little Tiber made the shape of a G around the camp, and we stood at its bank.

"Oh. My. Gods." He said quietly, in awe and I laughed at his jaw hanging open. I pressed two fingers to his chin and closed his mouth for him. "Stop gawking, it's even better up close. Come on."

I took his hand in mine and heard an overzealous voice that I hadn't heard in months. "Ambassador of Pluto!" exclaimed the Lare, Vitellius, his ghostly form flickering with a purple aura as he promptly tripped over his toga as he ran towards Will and me.

A sigh hadn't meant to escape me but it did, it was a gods' forsaken time in the early morning and I just wanted a regular bed and to see my sister and Reyna.

We had just made it to the armory when the ghost that had once been in the Fifth Cohort decided that then of all times was when he wanted to come and talk to me. He looked at Will, "Not another recruit then?" He asked with a slight frown. "No, he's not." I replied.

Then Vitellius's eyes widened and he frowned at me, pointing his phantom sword at my chest, "Was that a _sigh_ I detected when I was so graciously coming to welcome you back to camp?!"

I pushed it away with my right index finger and looked at Will. "Will, this is Vitellius. Vitellius, this is Will."

He nodded slightly and Vitellius huffed and crossed his arms over his pot belly. "Hmph."

Even though he was older than most of the Lares here at the camp, he acted less mature than the little girl Julie sometimes.

Oh that reminded me, Will was going to just _love_ Terminus, the arm-less god who protected the borders of New Rome on the Pomerian Line. He was good for a laugh at the very least.

"Actually, Vitellius, I have a very important task for you." I started to say, "Go to New Rome, and see if Frank, Reyna, or Hazel is awake. Don't wake up all of them, but if one of them is, then please let them know that I'm here."

The trick with ghosts like him, you have to feed his importance. Giving them special tasks to them can keep you on their good side.

He nodded and ran off, occasionally tripping over his toga like usual, hiking up his belt again, and setting off once more.

Will laughed, "He sure is…something…" I nodded and shrugged, "That's Vitellius for you, anyhow let's get going. They have a place for me to stay near the Senate in New Rome. They only have one bed though, I'm warning you."

"We've been sleeping together for the past few days, sharing a bed is hardly an issue." He replied, and his voice seemed to echo around the quiet camp. "Shout a little louder, would you?" I asked him and he rubbed his neck, in apology.

The torches lit our way as we walked through the Principic, Will's eyes danced in the golden torch light as we walked on the cobblestone road, hand in hand until we reached the Pomerian Line.

Terminus sat on his marble pedestal with his permanent scowl, I wasn't sure if he was awake until his scowl moved. "Are children of Pluto nocturnal?" He asked and I rolled my eyes, "No, and it's Hades, are you forgetting I'm Greek?"

He rolled his marble eyes and frowned deeply, "Weapons here, in the morning Julie will pick them up." I took off my Stygian iron sword and set it down at the arm-less state's base. He looked at Will, "Hm, and another _graecas_ I see?"

"Yeah, Greek, that's me."

Terminus frowned, "Are you being smart with me, boy?" He asked, lifting his chin up with a dignified look.

My boyfriend held up his hands, quickly shaking his head. "No, sir, sorry if I sound rude. That isn't my intent; I'm just very new here."

The statue's frown disappeared slightly and he looked between the two of us before cracking a thin smile. "At least your boyfriend has some manners, you can pass through, and I don't sense any weapons on him."

Will waved as he passed, me following closely and as we walked through the quiet city he chuckled, "How'd he know we were dating?" "He's a god. Don't ask me." I replied shrugging as we soon made it to my small apartment they had given me in New Rome.

After promising I would show Will around the city tomorrow and the next day he finally seemed to relax a little. "I would get lost if you weren't with me." He said as I opened up the door to the small apartment with a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and finally my bedroom.

I could list the amount of time I had actually _used_ this place on one hand.

It had bare decorations, some rugs, a mosaic on the kitchen floor, and a balcony overlooking some of the streets and the café. Even though there weren't any shops, or restaurants open the smell of hot chocolate wafted through the streets. Thank the gods that chocolate is universal.

Will whistled slightly, setting his bag on the couch. "If the caffeine weren't wearing off I would be even more impressed.

I flipped on the lamp in the corner of the living room and shrugged slightly, "Just wait until tomorrow and you'll have your socks thoroughly rocked off."

He laughed as he followed me through the hallway to my room where there were black sheet, naturally, covering the four poster mahogany bed with a tall ceiling to floor length window on the right side of the bed looking out over the Senate House.

I took off my jacket, putting it on the dresser and fell into bed, Will soon following.

He fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, snoring softly. He wasn't kidding about the caffeine wearing off, was he?

With a small groan I hauled myself up to actually get him beneath the covers, _still lazy I see_. I thought as I pulled the covers over him. "Goodnight, Will." I whispered, about to head to my side of the bed when two arms pulled me down.

Apparently, he wasn't fully asleep.

He kissed my forehead and with a sleepy voice murmured, "G'night Nico…I love you."

Even though I was exhausted, this time I _knew_ that I hadn't imagined him saying that.

My face burned red and we were so close that I could feel his heart beating just as rapidly as mine was sure to have been beating. "…I love you too." I whispered quietly, closing my eyes as I drifted off to sleep.

It felt like I was asleep for only moments when I heard a knock on the door to the entrance of my apartment. "Ugh." I mumbled, pushing myself up out of bed, Will's hand dangled out of bed as he snored quietly, still fast asleep.

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as I opened up the door to my apartment. "Yeah…?" I asked, not registering my younger sister standing in front of me until she threw her arms around me.

Her curly hair bounced as she smiled at me, "You didn't let me know you were coming!" She exclaimed and I found myself chuckling, "I tried to let you know, but I had to stop by…Oh and my…um…companion is asleep in the other room."

Hazel's expression was slightly confused as her gold eyes tried to figure out what I meant, and to try and change the subject I gave her a quick squeeze before I let her go. "Where's praetor Zhang?"

I stepped aside, letting her in, closing the door behind her. "Frank's talking to Reyna currently, letting her know you stopped by." She looked at me for a minute, smiling quietly. "I'm so glad to see you, how have you been?" She asked me, and I shrugged, "Good, good. I may have started…um…dating somebody."

Telling her made me slightly nervous, I would trust her with my life, and I love her to death. (No pun intended.) I just hoped she liked Will because if not this could make for an awkward two days. That and I cared about what she thought.

We were in the kitchen now and she stopped walking. "You're _dating_ somebody?! Who? Is that your 'companion'?" She asked and I nodded quietly.

Only too late did I realize my mistake.

She ran to my room and poked her head in.

"Hazel I-" I started to say as she came in, seemingly at a loss for what to say. _Oh no._

"You're dating him?" She asked quietly and my heart hammered.

I rubbed my neck. "I…yeah. He's really nice, he's easy to talk to, he helped-" "Nico?" She asked me, looking up at me and I nodded slightly, gulping down the words I was about to say.

My sister paused a moment before smiling quietly, "Is he good to you? Are you happy?"

"Yes." I replied instantly, surprising myself.

She put hugged me again, "That's all I care about."

 _Oh thank the gods_. I thought, hugging her back.

She walked into the kitchen and looked around, "You don't have anything to eat." She stated, and I could see her mom-side coming out. "Hazel, it's fine." I said and she shook her head, crossing her dark arms at me. "No, it isn't. When he wakes up, I'm taking you out to the café where I may have told Reyna and Frank to meet us."

I rubbed my temples and looked at her, "You did not." "I did too." She replied, grinning, and Will chose that moment to walk in.

"Morning, Nic-…" He started then saw Hazel and stopped. "This is your sister I take it?" He asked, looking down at his day old clothes like he wanted to change into a nicer attire suddenly.

Hazel smiled at him and Will rubbed his neck, it didn't take a genius to know he was embarrassed.

"Hi, I'm Will Solace." He said finally, holding out his hand, "If I had have known you were coming earlier I would have changed, sorry." He added and I restrained a laugh.

"I'm Hazel, and it isn't a problem. I'll head down to the café and let the others know you two will be down soon." She told him, pulling her hand back as she gave me a wave before leaving.

Will looked at me after she left and rubbed his forehead, "Next time please wake me up, that was _not_ the first impression I wanted to give to your sister." I shrugged lightly and leaned against the counter, "You were asleep and she poked her head in before I could tell her not to."

He let out a string of curses, "Gods, I was snoring last night too."

He left to go get changed and after he was done I did as well. He tapped his fingers nervously against his pant legs as he sat on the couch in the living room as he waited for me to change.

When I came out he looked up and then out at the balcony, "Your public await you." He said, jabbing his thumb at the window and I gave him a confused stare before heading outside into the chilled morning air in my usual aviator jacket.

Reyna, frank, and Hazel were sitting outside of the café at a table that looked in our direction; they would only be able to see the balcony though luckily. Reyna was wearing her Camp Jupiter t-shirt, seemingly not needing the armor for today. (Not that really needed it, that girl is like a tank, you'd need a god to take her down!) Frank was mirroring everybody else at the table dawning the purple and gold only instead of a t-shirt he was wearing a sweating other than that it looked like they purposely dressed the same.

Frank's transformation before arriving at the House of Hades still baffled me. He looked more comfortable in his own skin, less clumsy, and more confident. It was like he had gone from being Russel from _Up_ , to Shang in _Mulan_ in a blink of an eye.

The new praetor was the first to notice me, raising his hand to wave at me, his smile just the same it has always been.

Then I noted he was holding Hazel's hand across the table, my heart may have melted slightly at that. Call me sentimental but those two deserved to be happy with each other. Hazel smiled at me just the same.

Reyna pointed to the cup she was holding: _it's getting cold, hurry up_.

Though there was a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"We'll be down in a minute!" I yelled, leaning on the railing, trying to get over the clatter of the people moving to and fro through the cobblestone streets of the city. They nodded and seemed to have a silent conversation with each other, their lips moved but I couldn't hear any noise. The only thing I could do was hope they heard me.

The Son of Apollo was leaned against the entry way to the kitchen with his arms crossed, "Ready?" He asked and I nodded, he uncrossed his arm and reached over for my hand.

Only then did I realize just how nervous he was, he wanted- _needed_ to impress these people. I understood that, it was the way I felt about meeting his mom. Only then…I had one person I had to impress, he had three.

"I'm sorry this must be really nerve wracking for you." I said standing there with him for a moment, and he shook his head giving me a smile to try and diminish my worry. "No, it's fine. Let's go. I'm going to impress the heck out of these Romans if it's the last thing I do." He stated with determination.

Then why was his hand shaking?

I gave it a small squeeze and looked up at him. "They aren't going to bite your head off," (If he did something to anger Reyna, which I doubted, there was that possibility though.) "I promise, and if you need to, you can tell me you just need some time to get yourself together. I understand." I told him, and he nodded, his hand stopped shacking which was a relief.

"Thank you Nico, I'll be fine. Now let's go." He repeated and we walked out of my apartment.

((Author's Note: Okay, you know how I mentioned Will may get a chapter of his own? Well, folks that time has come. Depending on how it goes, I may do multiple chapters. Who knows? (Actually I do, *evil laugh commences*) Anyhow, just giving you all a heads up, and the next author's note I'll have will let you know when Nico's POV comes back. Thank you so much for all of the reviews, they mean a lot to me, and I'm so glad everybody has been enjoying it so far!))


	13. This Day Took an Unexpected Turn

((Author's Note: Drumroll please... (*cue drumroll*) WILL'S POINT OF VIEW IS FINALLY HERE!))

As we walked down to the café a million thoughts and feelings rushed through me and I had to fight to keep my face neutral.

1) My mind was still reeling from last night.

Nico had said he loved me too.

Now, this hadn't been the first time I had whispered "I love you" to him, but the last time he may have written it off as him being tired and imagining things. Gods, it was such a relief to hear him say that, if he hadn't said anything that would have made for an awkward silence. (Knowing myself, I'd probably try to blame it on the caffeine falling out and making me say things.)

But it wasn't a flashy "I love you" which wasn't something I wanted at all. I feel like those three words are best whispered where only the two people can hear it. Like it's a shared secret, something only the dead of night can hear.

2) This place was absolutely mind boggling.

Camp Jupiter was immense, with towering domed building, gold lining, cobblestone streets, they had a college for crying out loud!

It was everything Camp Half-Blood wasn't, as much as I hated to admit it, if you survived coming to this camp, you had a much better shot at living than we did. You could build families here, watch your kids grow up, your grand kids, and generations pass.

I knew Nico probably hadn't thought about families, but I may have. Since I was in the Titan War, actually, when the gods made the promise to claim their children all I could think was that I would do better than them with their children. I would be better than my father.

3) I was utterly mortified to wake up in my day old clothes and find Nico's younger sister Hazel standing there.

The only thing that I had set in my mind when I agreed to come with Nico here was that I would give a good first impression. And that screwed it up.

There were millions of other thoughts running through my head as we walked down the street, some ghostly people ( _lares_ I think was what they were called) drifted pass us, shooting me a glare. The girl, Elina, yesterday wasn't kidding about grudges not dying.

It seems that the dead can hold them longer than the living.

The café came into view and I saw the three of them sitting there, when we first came I had the impression we'd just be meeting Hazel.

Oh how much I was regretting thinking that.

"Good to see you Nico." Frank said as we walked over, I noted there was only one empty chair for the two of us. The other tables didn't seem to be filled so I pointed to the table to our right. "Mind if I use one of those chairs?"

The girl, Reyna, shook her head and I got the impression just by the way she held herself she was a force to be reckoned with. Knowing that, I figured she was pretty high up on the list of people who I should definitely try to avoid ticking off.

I pulled up one of the wooden chairs and sat down next to Nico who looked like he was completely at ease.

He told me a while ago that Frank and Reyna were praetors, meaning they were basically the leaders of the camp. Frank seemed like one of those people that had more to him than meets the eye.

"Nico, good to see you," Reyna said smiling at him and he nodded, "Good to see you too, everything's been good around here?"

She shrugged slightly and sipped on what smelled like hot chocolate, "As good as it can get when you live in a world of gods and monsters." "Amen." Nico replied, when Reyna looked at me.

She might as well have x-ray vision, because it felt like she could see right through me, any secret I may have she could probably have figured out if she looked at me with her dark eyes long enough.

Once the once over was done, she raised an eyebrow at Nico. "Were you planning on introducing your boyfriend?"

Nico's eyes widened like it had just occurred to him, and then he sighed at Hazel. "You told them?" "No, she saw you two walking down the street while holding hands with him." She replied, and I found myself laughing.

My boyfriend looked at me confused and I shrugged, "We were going to have to tell them eventually, so it works out for the better."

His hair hung in his face like usual, covering his dark brown eyes and I restrained the urge to sweep it out of his face. When he had it pulled back a few days ago, I hadn't let on just how attractive he really was.

He scowled at me like usual, and I was glad to know nothing had changed; we were a balancing act to one other.

"Reyna, this is Will Solace, Son of Apollo." He said, and I nodded to her. "If we weren't sitting at a table I'd shake your hand."

She didn't look like she knew what to say and just sipped her coffee again. "There's no need for that."

Nico and I ordered our food and Frank looked at me, "So how long have you been friends?" "Since the battle with Gaea." I replied and he gave a nod, and I noted he drank tea unlike most of the table. Reyna and Hazel were drinking hot coco, and Nico was looking at it with envious eyes.

Tea reminded me of my mom though; she'd always make it when I was little. It was nostalgic for me.

Reyna waved a waiter over and Nico and I ordered.

"Any news from Leo?" Hazel asked after a bout of silence and I shook my head. It seemed Nico was pretty invested in his cup of coco, so I stepped in for him.

"No, communications have been haywire lately, his brothers and sisters at camp are working on things to try and get him back though." I explained and Frank nodded.

We've heard bits and pieces about the Argo II, that Hazel died and came back, that she knew Leo's grandfather or along those lines, and so on and so forth. Only the crew knows the full story though, the people at camp get legends practically. Not the full story, not the nitty gritty, just bits and pieces about the most important things.

I knew Frank had some power, but nobody specified on what.

I knew he and Leo had been known to argue, but other than that, these Roman demigods were a mystery to me.

Staying at camp was a completely different story. As the Romans closed in, we couldn't leave. We had special missions to get the younger campers out, or anybody who felt they weren't ready for something of that magnitude. Nobody wanted to force a suicide mission on anybody else.

Getting the younger campers out was nightmarish, having to blend into the shadows, keep moving so that monsters wouldn't notice you, and finally get them to a safe area where one of the satyrs could help them get to a place where they'd be taken back to their parent or guardian. If needed, the satyr stayed with them until it was safe to come back.

The infirmary was always occupied, and I found my body sore each day from running around, picking people up, taking them back, and patching them up. We were working on no replinished supplies and had to ration everything up.

We were almost hoping that they would attack so at least we would get on with it.

When Reyna, Nico, and Hedge showed up it was a gift from the heavens. Then the Argo II brought in the cavalry and Camp Half-Blood finally had a fighting shot.

Frank looked at me, and spoke, pulling me out of my trip down memory lane. "At your camp it's split up by your godly parent, does that mean that Nico still has a cabin to himself?"

Nico set his cup down and reached over for my hand, which was setting on my left leg. He gave it a small squeeze, and I don't think anybody noticed, but my smile grew a little. He looked at Frank, "Yeah, but I get company in there a lot, sometimes _without_ them asking to come in though." He added, flashing me a look and I chuckled.

"Still not over the towel incident?" I asked him and he shook his head, "Never."

Hazel's eyes widened as she looked between the two of us. "Towel incident? What towel incident?"

Suddenly, I felt the urge to pull on my orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt. _Was it hot outside or was it just me?_

The image of Nico in nothing but a black towel around his waist flashed in my mind and my face unwillingly went red. There were some scars on his body, quite a few on his back, I remembered clearly. It made me wonder what had happened if it happened in Tartarus, and my heart ached all over again.

Before I could say anything Nico laughed, "You're getting embarrassed? _I_ was the one who was wearing a towel." "Shut up." I replied, drinking the tea in front of me. I never added sugar to the tea, like how mom always drank it. And the bitter, hot liquid warmed up my insides.

After that we stood up and Frank held out his hand for me, "I have to check up on some things at the temples, it was nice meeting you Will." "Likewise." I replied, as he shook my hand. There was no way I would tell him, but if he had shaken my hand any longer it may have fallen off. That boy has a grip on him.

And so, it was down to Reyna, Hazel and I.

Reyna's long dark hair hung in a braid over her shoulder and she began to walk. "Has Nico showed you around?" "We came in around midnight; we were a little tired to sightsee." I replied, with a shrug and she nodded.

"Well, first I want to show you the Senate House, _just_ you Will. Nico and Hazel if you will wait here, I have to speak to Will." She looked at me with a calculating gaze rivaling Annabeth's. Every molecule in my body screamed: _GET OUT OF HERE!_

Something gave me the feeling she didn't want to speak to me just about this camp.

She was already walking down the street away from me and I flashed Nico a look. "What do I do if she tries to kill me?" Nico squeezed my hand. "Yell." "I may not get that chance." I muttered, pulling my hand back as I jogged over to Reyna.

Her strides were fast, surprising me, because she was the first person who walked at my regular pace as well.

"So, Reyna…" I ventured, cursing the fact my throat closed up, making my voice sound an octave higher. "What did you want to talk to me about?" "I think you already know the answer to that question," She replied curtly, looking at me with a slight frown.

She stepped into the Senate House and I had to remember to not gawk like I had been doing the night before. Instead of looking around and having that temptation, I looked at her. "I do, I was just verifying. So, my guess is you're going to give the 'you-hurt-Nico-and-I-will-kill-you' speech."

She sat down on one of the chairs that resembled a throne, mirrored with another one to her side. My best guess, those were praetor chairs. That meant I better stay standing.

Two dogs materialized on either side of her, and snarled at me. "Whoa." I said in a calm voice, when it came to dogs I was good with them, but these dogs weren't normal. They were gold and silver greyhounds with ruby eyes that seemed to glow maliciously at me like they knew I wasn't supposed to be here as much as I knew myself.

"Argentum, Aurum, down." She said in a calm voice then raised an eyebrow at my earlier statement. "No, Will Solace, if you hurt Nico he is _very_ capable of killing you himself. But yes, that is the general basis for what I am about to say."

 _This is going to be fun_.

"Listen, I swear on the River Styx I wouldn't do anything to hurt him-" I said taking a step forward and her dogs growled at me, making me step back again. She held up a hand, signaling for me to politely shut up.

She stood up and tapped on the side of her chair. "Do you know what you're getting into with him? Have you seen him at his worst and still stuck by him?"

I paused and looked at her and then at the dogs warily, odds were they weren't just for show. "Have I seen him at his worst? I don't know if even you have, and I mean that with no disrespect. I try my best to be there for him, and only recently has be opened up to me, even now he isn't necessarily good at it…but I'm not going to leave him because things get tough, too many people have, and I have no intention on joining that list."

Had I meant to go into that much detail? No.

Did I? Yes.

"I believe you." She said with a small nod, finally smiling thinly. My eyebrows shot up. "Really? It was that easy?"

Reyna waved her left hand and the dogs disappeared. "They would have attacked if you lied to me, but you didn't so I believe you. Nico is family to me, I look out for him. If you're dating him I suppose that makes you and I extended family." She explained and I shrugged, "I guess it does."

We walked out and found Hazel and Nico walked towards us. "You were in there a while, I was starting to get worried." Nico told me, worry finding his way through his voice. "Ah well, I'm okay."

Hazel smiled at the two of us and looked at Reyna, "Are we still having war games tonight?" "War games?" I asked her, cocking my head to the side.

The praetor gave the Daughter of Pluto a nod. "We are, and that reminds me," She turned to me, fixing her gaze on me, "You said you were a Son of Apollo? If things get out of hand, we may need you to step in as a medic. Would you be up to it?"

How could I say no to something like that?

"Of course I am." I replied, and then put a hand into my pocket. "But I thought I wasn't able to participate in the war games."

She laughed, and for a moment looked like a regular teenager. "I'm not going to turn down help from you because you aren't Roman. Medics are valuable, and I'm glad you agreed. If anything happens, Nico can shadow travel you to where we need you."

Nico nodded, and slipped his hand into my free one, intertwining our fingers. "Enough talk about war games, do you want to give him the grand tour or do you want me to?"

She waved her hand in front of herself, "By all means, be with your significant other. I need to make preparations for tonight. Hazel you can stay with your brother. I'll see you all tonight."

I caught sight of her arm as she passed with the torch and swords crossed and a few dark stripes. Hazel had the same, with one stripe, and I recalled Percy having it as well. Nico had been here longer than Percy had been yet he didn't have one?

"Say, Nico, why do you not have a tattoo?" I asked him as we started to make our way to the plaza. He shrugged, "I was never a full member of the legion. Ambassador of Pluto was my title."

"Was?" I asked, and he smiled slightly looking up at the sky as we walked, "I'm Greek, I'm not going to pretend to be anything I'm not."

We got to the plaza and I looked around, there was something tieless about it. It looked like a foreign place; somewhere I didn't belong but was allowed to see. It was a privilege in all honesty.

We made our way around and got to Temple Hill. "Mind if I stop by the Pluto temple?" Nico asked and I shook my head. "Not at all, I'm kind of curious to see." I replied, as the three of us walked together.

Temples of various colors, sizes, styles, and age lines the hill surrounding us. Each had its own personality, reminding me of the cabins at camp Half-Blood. Soon we arrived at the Pluto Temple, it was tucked into the hill but they didn't go inside. They climbed on top of the Temple and sat on the roof.

"Coming up?" He asked me as the two of them held out their hands towards me.

If you had have told me that the boy who managed to convince Hades himself to help the Olympians defend Manhattan, who suddenly showed back up for the Battle of the Labyrinth after disappearing months before, would welcome me into his family and show a side of him I would never had thought existed…I would have called you crazy and prescribed some medications for you.

The fact that he _and_ his sister seemed to welcome me into their world, it was humbling. Here were people who had looked death in the face (quite literally), people who had died, who didn't belong here, yet looked at me as a friend.

We sat on the roof and I noticed there was millions of dollars' worth in jewels littered up there mingled with bones. Neither, I really minded, you see them quite a bit being a demigod. "Don't take any of the jewels by the way." Hazel said to me and I nodded.

"It's a temple; it's disrespectful to do that." I replied, finding it odd she would think I would do that.

When I looked over at her, her gaze seemed more concerned for me rather than concern that I may do anything if that made sense.

The view was breathtaking, "Whoa." I muttered, seeing people mill around from temple to temple, some were carrying things others just went in empty handed. It was a quiet place, something that wouldn't change no matter the time of day or night. It was sacred.

The largest temple was a huge marble building, closest to the sky and I pursed my lips. "Old Thunder Pants naturally has the biggest temple."

Lightning flashed in the sky and Nico swatted my arm, though I could see him suppressing a smile. "Sh, the gods may have gone silent but that doesn't mean they don't listen." I rolled my eyes, looking around for my father's temple but I eventually gave up.

We soon left and they showed me all of the nooks and crannies of the cap until I felt like I was a part of it. Dinner soon came around and pieces of food flew around like a whirlwind. The seats were low to the floor and I had never had a meal like that, I'll hand that to the Romans.

"Geez, this is insane." I muttered, ducking as a piece of pizza flew past me and over to a guy with red stained lips who was sitting by Hazel and Frank.

Nico and I were sitting next to Reyna who casually sipped on her water and looked at me. "So what do you think?" She asked me and I smiled, thinking back to everywhere we had visited. Even the armory, to a guy who hated sparing with a sword, was impressive. They had many more weapons of Imperial Gold than we did of Celestial Bronze.

Most demigods had one weapon or the other, and the last time I went home to the schoolyear I had taken a sword with me. I had never used it though.

The last time I had spared was with Luke, back before he had sided with Kronos. He had thoroughly whooped my tail putting it lightly. He gave me pointers so that I could at least not die if I was confronted with a monster, but barely. I'm a healer, a better archer (not nearly as good as my brothers and sisters), and an even better healer. Fighting wasn't my style.

"It's breathtaking here. You have yourself a fine camp, I'll hand you that." I replied drinking down my water.

Nico poked at his food and I had started to get the feeling he ate little to nothing, blaming it on your small stomach could only go so far, I was starting to get worried about the Son of Hades.

I nudged his side with my elbow, "Are you going to eat anything else?" "Not hungry." He replied and I frowned at him. "You can't survive on water alone."

All he did was shrug.

Now wasn't the time for arguing about something like this here, too many people around.

There were a few things I preferred about Camp Half-Blood to here.

Less people, it was its own society once you stepped over the Little Tiber, it's a little daunting. At camp, you have your sibling and you have less people but you can become better friends with them. Here at Camp Jupiter, they had their own city for Pete's sake! You couldn't meet everybody even if you lived here your whole life.

There were so many things you had to remember here, if you had your armor on incorrectly you'd face punishment. If you were late you'd face punishment. If you said the wrong thing even you faced punishment. I even heard you sometimes need papers to get into this camp. It felt a bit like the army, and it kind of was.

At Camp Half-Blood, if you're in need a safe haven and you're a demigod, that's it. That's all you need. You're in.

And, you know…not to brag or anything, but who defended Olympus even though they had less people and the odds were against us?

Oh yeah, us.

There was a noisy clatter around the place and I made me a little nostalgic for home. The summers were what I lived for; hopefully we could put the past two wars behind us by next summer if things stayed quiet. I could deal with the suffering communication though something seemed off about it.

Living in a world where you could be killed at any moment and everything had a butterfly effect, I learned that everything happened for a reason.

You could step on a bug and find out three years later you're being hunted by a horde of insects that are angry because you killed their fifth cousin twice removed or something.

Sooner rather than later the war games started and Nico and I headed out so that we would be able to see out over the Field of Mars. Some of the medics had given me their supplies, unicorn draught (which I figured was basically a liquid form of ambrosia), bandages, stitches, and a few other things.

Reyna was riding an eagle, the only thing I wondered if she just hung on if the Roman's had somehow fashioned a saddle for the giant bird. A few other legionnaires were riding eagles just the same and I could see her golden armor gleaming in the dark light.

Clouds were hanging over us and it looked like it was going to rain.

Then everything went to hell.

Three of the cohorts advanced, and the ballista's exploded into action, shaking the ground where we stood. There was so much going on that even I had trouble taking it all in.

 _Crack_!

At first I thought that it was another ballistae, but as I looked up at the sky, which we were shielded from because of canopy, the sky flashed with lightning. Clouds unloaded rain and made the field muddy, making it difficult to see. "I have a bad feeling." I murmured, looking out over everything.

Something bad was going to happen, that was obvious to me, though Nico didn't bat an eyelash.

"Agh!" Somebody exclaimed as a bolt of lightning hit the wall jutting up from the far end. There was a scream and just through the thick rain I could see a figure hanging from the wall, that person as I could soon see, was controlling the ballistae.

The ballistae went askew from the person holding onto it, and as they tried to frantically pull themselves up it went off. They fell from the wall due to the force and an eagle picked them up. The blast soared straight for the cohort closest to us, which was the third.

They couldn't move fast enough, there'd be at least one injury, and depending on how severe it was I knew somebody would need immediate attention.

 _Bang!_

Before I knew what I was doing, I had grabbed the bag and hauled it over my back before sprinting out into the field. I knew that the games would stop just because I was there, and that I may be hurt but I needed to help.

The explosion had sent three people sprawling and the cohort continued forward, something I couldn't wrap my mind around.

Another difference between our two camps, it was everybody or nobody. If somebody got hurt, we did our best to make sure that they at least got to a safe place, not abandon them.

"Will!" Nico yelled, about to come after me and I kept running.

My clothes were soaked even though I had been running for only around twenty seconds, my heart hammered in my ear as I dodged arrows, ballistae strikes, and trenches.

Finally I got to the three of them, two of them just seemed to be unconscious, other than some small cuts and minor burns they seemed fine. The one I had knelt beside had a broken leg and third degree burns on his chest. He had reddish brown hair, hazel eyes, and was pale. Even paler than he usually would have been, I knew when people had discoloration. His bone poked through his

He was shaking, eyes wide as he stared at himself, unable to move. He started to shake as I looked at him, pulling out my supplies. "Oh gods, oh gods," He kept muttering and I uncapped the unicorn draught and held his head up with my hand.

"Drink this." I told him, my tone even, as eagles started to fly in our direction. He had a lot of blood loss and if I didn't set his leg…I didn't want to think about it.

I looked at his leg then at him and he shook his head, "No, no, no, no. Please-" "I have to do this if you want to keep your leg." I replied and he shook but gave a nod, gritting his teeth.

"Do it quickly." He stated and I gave him a nod, moving down to his leg before setting it as quickly as I could.

His screams echoed around me, I knew it must be painful, but I wasn't done. He still had to have it disinfected and bandaged. If I didn't the amount of blood loss could be detrimental to him. _Keep your head on straight._ I told myself before finishing it up.

The guy had lost consciousness and I heard Nico's footsteps behind me, but I couldn't get distracted. The fact he had blacked out was both good and bad, it meant he'd stop shaking as much, but I didn't know how bad he was now.

"Nico, yell for those eagles to get her faster!" I yelled, disinfecting it as quickly as I could before stitching it up so that the majority of the blood would stop. My hands flew as I pulled out the bandages, quickly wrapping him up.

As for the burn, I had nothing to help mend that.

A girl on a golden eagle set down next to us, and Nico helped me lift the guy onto the bird before she gave me a small nod. "You did well, thank you." She said before flying off.

Nico and I stood in the fields and pouring rain and all I could think about was how many times I had been in this same position and the person who I had been trying to heal hadn't made it.

My hands started to shake and I felt Nico's hand on my arm. "Will…?" He asked and I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

Some days I was able to keep the deaths that I hadn't prevented out of my head, occupy myself with other things. Other days it hit me like a freight train, and right now I felt like I had been hit with a gale force wind.

"Will?" Nico asked again and I shook my head. "It's nothing. Let's get out of the rain." I told him quickly, shaking his hand off as I picked up the bag and headed back.

We got back underneath the canopy and found two blankets.

I sat down and wrapped one around me, the rainwater dripping in my eyes. Nico sat in front of me, "Talk to me Will, I haven't seen you like this."

"I…I haven't had somebody like that for a while, and they reminded me of the people I…" I shivered, unable to finish the sentence, Nico nodded, understanding and put his hand on my knee. "You have to understand you did everything you could, what happened…it happened for a reason."

My gaze shifted up to him and I shook my head, "No. It didn't."

Some of those people never asked for it. Never asked to die in terrifying ways, and for what? Died for a chance at Elysium?

"Hey you died, but hey, you get an awesome place to live your death in!"

 _Great_.

A cry went up and as I looked out over the war games once more, I could see that the Third Cohort had made it up the wall. Nico turned around too, standing up only sit closer to me.

"What's going on up there?" Nico asked, referring to my head and not to the wall. "I honestly don't know." I replied, shrugging when Nico took off his blanket. He draped it around me before scooting closer as he pulled it around himself.

"Be sure to tell be when you figure it out. I brought you here so you'd be happy, I'm sorry that right now it's been…" He trailed off, trying to find the right word.

I wrapped my arm around him, wanting to know that this wasn't just in my head, these whole past two weeks had felt like a dream and I didn't want to wake up knowing I was back on square one with him.

"Stressful, chaotic, hectic, a hot mess?" I offered and he rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Those work pretty well."

All I could seem to do was nod.

The games soon wrapped up and Nico looked at me, "Want to shadow travel back?" He asked and I shook my head.

Now I wasn't claustrophobic but shadow traveling was a sensation I was not ready to feel again anytime soon, it made me feel like darkness was a physically being and that it was closing in around me. Not fun.

"How long if we try to run back?" I asked and he laughed, "Five minutes at best." "Well prepare for those five minutes." I replied, standing up as I faced the rain.

The two of us set off, leaving the blankets behind as we let the rain soak our skin.

In moments like these, moments that felt like some revolutionary moment where suddenly something in my life should click, I never really knew what I should feel. Mostly I tried to feel everything, take in everything around me.

The smell of burning wood and iron tasting rain, the gray light and Nico's dark eyes flashing at me, the feel of the cobblestone streets underneath my flip flops, everything.

They also tended to remind me how my life was about as far away from a typical story as it could get.

I should be feeling like maybe life isn't all that bad, that the rain was a metaphor for something greater in my life coming. But it didn't, it was just rain.

It was so utterly un-poetic that I feared my father would un-claim me.

"Oh no, this _couldn't_ be my son, a son of mine would turn any moment into a masterpiece, like a sunset rising over a sea after a night or storms." Apollo would probably ramble on and on.

We got back to his apartment dripping, shivering, and miserable. But that gave a chance for one thing at least.

"Nico, after we change out of these things," I started, pulling off my shirt as I hung it in the bathroom to air dry as I grabbed a spare set of pants, "can we cuddle for warmth?"

Nico had disappeared into the bathroom to change, and I heard him nearly slip and fall. There was a crash. "Cuddle?" He asked, confused and I managed a laugh through my clattering teeth.

"Yes, cuddling, it's when two people who love each other hold each other-" "I know that, Solace." He grumbled from the other side of the doorway. "Fine, fine."

 _Did not think it was going to be that easy._ I thought with a shrug, as he stepped out wearing a plain black tee.

I changed out of my pants, and realize I hadn't grabbed a shirt. Well, I wasn't going to put one on now; Nico was just going to have to deal with it.

My hair was damp but it wasn't too bad anymore, I dabbed it with a towel before heading back into the bedroom where Nico was already lying in bed with a hand behind his head. I crawled in next to him and he turned over on his side so his back was towards me, I wrapped my arms around his waist. "No shirt?" "Nope, call me lazy but I'm not getting up now." I murmured feeling exhausted.

He sighed softly but stayed silent.

"You going to sleep?" I asked quietly, and he shrugged, "Just worried."

"About…?"

"You."

 _Oh._ I thought, biting my lip. "Forget about earlier, things like that happen from time to time with me, they always pass." I could have hummed the chorus to "Piano Man" in the silence that had passed before he spoke again. "They always come back though, don't they?"

My turn for silence, I didn't want to argue with him like we usually ended up doing. (Granted, most was just playful banter, or at least I liked to think of it that way.)

"Yeah." I finally said, and he nodded quietly.

My eyes started to droop and a wave of exhaustion fell over me. "Are you falling asleep?" Nico asked, turning over and I gave a sleepy nod. "Yeah…" "Goodnight, Will." He replied, kissing my forehead gently.

 _I love you so much…I wish I could show you how much…_ I thought quietly as I muttered a Goodnight before falling asleep.


	14. I Get A Gift

In my dreams I had hoped that my mind would allow me some _good_ rest for once, but I guess that my mind wasn't on the same page.

"Will, get over here!" Austin yelled as yelling, metal clashing against metal, clash ripping clothes, and wings echoed around us.

We were in a battle, one I hadn't quiet remembered being in, but it seemed to combine the worst injuries from every battle I had been a medic in. The smell was the thing anybody smelled, long before they reached the infirmary.

You could tell you were getting closer because the smell of blood, rot, vomit, and a multitude of other things hit you like a freight train.

I looked around, trying to get my bearing and realized that I standing outside of the infirmary, yells came from inside, crying, and ragged breathing.

Something told me that I shouldn't look there right then, I turned and saw Nico lying on the ground, his sword lying a yard away from him. There was a cut on his lip, a gash across his forehead, bruises on his arms and talon marks across his chest, and there was a pool of blood around him.

"Nico!" I yelled, forgetting about Austin calling my name as I sprinted towards Nico.

His eyes were barely open and each breath he took seemed to cause him pain. "I'm going to get you to the infirmary, you'll be fine." I told him quickly, trying to keep from sobbing. What I had just said was a lie through my teeth, in the state he was in all of the odds was against him.

He reached up and put his hand on my face, "No…I won't." He murmured and I put my hand on his, unable to look away, unable to move. My dread had seemed to numb my ability to move. His dark eyes seemed to start to drop, "Will-" "You aren't dying on me!" I exclaimed, picking him in up my arms, adrenaline rushing through me as my body snapped back into existence in the dream.

As I stood out he let out a long shallow breath and his eyes didn't blink again.

 _No, we're so close to the infirmary!_ I thought, panic seizing me.

The two of us rushed there and I laid him down on one of the few empty cots, he was un-moving and his eyes hadn't moved. I frantically checked for a pulse and my heart sank all the way to Hades when I found nothing. "Nico?" I asked, tears starting to stream from my eyes as I sank to the ground, regret washing over me.

I sat bolt upright in bed, Nico's bed, the one in New Rome and looked up at the ceiling trying to calm my hammering heart.

He was lying in bed next to me, peaceful, alive and breathing. He wasn't dead.

 _Just a dream. Just a dream_. I chanted in my mind rubbing my forehead though I still had the image of him lying in the cot un-moving plastered in my mind. It seemed like a grim reminder that if something like that battle were to happen…I may not be able to stop what could happen.

As much as the future doesn't scare me, when somebody's life is in my hands, especially people I care about, it shakes me.

"Will…?" Nico murmured, opening an eye to me, still sleepy but awake enough to know something was up with me. "Go back to sleep, I just need some fresh air." I replied sweeping some hair out of his face and he gave a sleepy nod. "Wake me up if you need anything…"

I nodded and stood up looking at myself in the mirror.

I was in desperate need of a shower. Nico promised we would go visit the Roman Baths, something to look forward too but last night those plans got a little side tracked. Maybe before we left today we would be able to stop by but still, it was shower time for me.

In the mirror my blond hair was slightly wavy and was sticking up at every which way, my eyes looked just as tired as I felt, and my freckles dotted my skin as prominently as usual. A few pale scars ran across my chest and I shook my head, looking in the mirror wasn't something I liked to do.

 _Snap out of it Will_. I thought, chiding myself. Right now, it was my job to be there for Nico, I couldn't let myself feel like this. I was supposed to be the comforting one in the relationship.

I rubbed my face and went into the bathroom, quickly unchanging as I got into the shower to clear my head.

The scorching hot water ran over me, turning my skin a tint of red but I didn't care, the mirror got cloudy in no time and I found myself standing idly in there. My mind swam with memories and thoughts.

It felt like I was standing in the eye of a hurricane, I could see my thoughts, I knew what was going on, but I didn't know how to even try stepping out into the storm. Right now I was in a sunny, still area of my life, and all I could do was worry about when it would all go wrong and the wall of the hurricane would hit me.

That seemed like the best way I could understand it in my head.

Something tapped on my shoulder; I turned to find Nico looking irritated at me.

He had his lips pursed the way they always seem to whenever he's frustrated. You could bet your buttons he gave me that look more than anybody else.

"Yes…?" I asked him, taking a sip of my tea. He'd tell me why he was angry any minute now-

"You _said_ you'd wake me up if you needed anything. That was over an hour ago." He told me, just as I had predicted.

Then I noticed he had a blanket around him, without thinking a chuckle escaped me. I leaned on the railing and looked at him. "I thought you said the cold didn't bother you."

He had to rearrange the blanket so that he could point at my chest with a frown. "You have a terrible habit of changing the subject, Solace. Now, talk. Or I'm going to take your tea."

I looked at him with revulsion and brought the tea to my chest, "How dare you, this drink hasn't done anything to you." Nico gave me his familiar lip purse.

He wasn't lying.

I drained the rest of my drink out of fear he may take it before setting it down on the small table sitting by us. A cold wind passed by us and I shivered, without the tea to at least provide something to warm my hands on the cold set it quickly.

My boyfriend sighed for a moment, "Let's head inside, it isn't good for you to stay out in the cold, especially with your wet hair. Wouldn't want you to get a cold on our last day here, right?" He asked, but I could sense a hint of concern in his voice as he opened the screen to go back inside.

We headed in, me grabbing my cup as I walked back inside, better not to forget about it, right?

Nico sat down on the couch and removed his blanket before handing it over to me so that I could warm up.

"So, what happened?" He asked finally, the only sound in the apartment was the water dripping quietly from the kitchen sink. The Son of Hades wasn't the only person who hated the silence; I can assure you of that.

Finally, I spoke up as my gaze fell to the floor, "I had a nightmare, Nico." "Well you should know that's something I can help-"

My eyes flicked up in his direction and I must have looked pretty shake because he stopped himself.

"You…you were in the dream." I said, my voice involuntarily shaking against all of my efforts.

Shock crossed his face and his eyes fell like mine had a minute prior.

His shock turned to worry and his voice was quiet, "Did I hurt you in it?"

Then I understood what his worry was about, he was scared I would get hurt because of him, or that he would lose control and accidentally hurt me himself. Even when we were just friends he was still hesitant towards opening up to me because of it all.

Funny, I'm afraid if something happened and he got hurt I wouldn't be able to save him.

I reached over and put my hand on hop of his, running my thumb over his hand trying to comfort him. "No, you didn't hurt me…you…you got hurt, and I…well, I couldn't save you."

The image of him lying un-moving on the empty cot sprang back into my memory and I stiffened, _he's okay Will. Calm down, you're looking at him right now, stop freaking out._ I repeated in my head but that didn't help.

Nico had a mix of emotions cross his face in a matter of seconds: relief because he hadn't hurt me in my dream, scared because he realized I had started to shake, and worry because…well, that doesn't need explaining.

He pulled his hand back before resting his hands underneath my jaw. He had a look of sympathy as he said, "I would trust you with my life, Will, and it was just a dream. If the time comes and something like this does happen, you'll do fine. I know it."

I closed my eyes, clenching my hands into fists, "Nico…" "Will, you are the best healer I've seen, Greek or Roman. You have to come to terms with the fact that no matter what you do some deaths are unavoidable, and sometimes the Fates can be cruel." He told me, not backing down.

How did I end up dating the most stubborn guy in the mythological world?

"I could have done-"

"Stop it Will. You're putting the blame on yourself, alright? There is nobody to blame but whatever or whoever gave those demigods their wounds. Nobody else, got it?" He asked and I finally looked at him.

His dark eyes were steadfast; there wasn't any doubt in his voice.

Gods I wanted to kiss him.

None the less, I nodded. What he was saying did have a ring of truth, I may not fully believe it now but hopefully one day I could put this guilt to rest.

He pulled his hands back and stood up, holding out his hand to me. "Now come on, we'd better get what little sleep we can for the rest of today. We still have to visit those Roman Baths; I hope you brought swim trunks." He added, as I took his hand and he pulled me up.

 _Wait, he's asking me about the Roman Baths, does that mean I'll get to see him in swim trunks too?_ I thought, my mind getting off track faster than a train going full speed at a turn.

"I did happen to, actually. I'm always prepared." I replied, and he rolled his eyes, "Sure you are, Solace."

We headed back into the room, hand in hand, laughing quietly.

I was glad he had lightened the mood; I hated feeling like I needed comforting.

My last name, Solace, means "to comfort" so people having to comfort me was something of a bittersweet experience.

Feeling that weak, vulnerable, wasn't a feeling I had every day and every time it came around…lately, it seems, Nico has been the one who has had to figure out how to put me back together.

My mind flashed back to that night when I realized I had feelings for him, on the roof.

He was so adamant about getting me to talk, like tonight for instance, and so different than when I first met him.

It intrigued me, memory serve me right, but as I seemed to recall that he was a bright eyed kid who looked at this crazy messed up world like it was everything he dreamed of. Then, poof, gone. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover had been secretive about it, saying he had run off but nothing more on the matter.

Kids don't just _run_ away from camp, they run away from something, and something happened with one of them to cause Nico to run away. That, I was sure of.

When he had popped up with the Battle of the Labyrinth he was a completely different person. Pale, bags under his eyes, angry, and the polar opposite to the kid I had met. There was this loneliness behind his anger too; it didn't take much to see that.

He'd show up at camp every now and then, but he seemed more comfortable with the dead than the living. As if he wished he could join them if he could. It was painful to watch him deteriorate like that.

When Percy and Annabeth were carried off to the canoe lake he was standing by the Dining Pavilion with his arm folded across his chest. His eyes followed the two until they were under the water then he turned around, covering his mouth with his eyes closed before melting into the shadows.

I guess I was the only person to notice...

We had crawled into bed, and I pulled the blanket off so it would cover the two of us. He closed his eyes and fell asleep almost instantly, me, not so much…

My mind was still swimming with old memories, him nearly doubling over with laughter when I had wanted to show him a new song I had found for him to listen to and tripped over his sword, tried to grab onto the bed, missed and pulled the bed sheets on top of me.

Did I mention it's easy to get tangled in that cabin's bed sheets?

Because he had to help me out, of course five minutes after I had gotten tangled because he was laughing so damn hard.

The first thing he got untangled was my hand, which I held in the air, "Freedom!" I yelled, impersonating that dude from Braveheart.

"You aren't free yet, moron." Nico replied, and I sighed, my hand pointing in the direction of his voice. "Good point. But I'm _partially_ free, which is what is important."

His sigh then had seemed louder than his usual "I'm-so-done-with-you-Will-Solace" sigh.

"You _do_ realize I could just walk away and leave you tangled." He said, and I could imagine his exasperated face at me tangled in his sheets, lying on the floor helplessly.

I hoped my frown was audible.

"You wouldn't dare, di Angelo." "Don't tempt me, Solace." He replied, and I could hear one of wooden planks creak as he knelt down on my right.

Later rather than sooner, I was untangled.

Another time, we were going to check up on Harley who was in Bunker Nine making his strange little device to help Leo get back. Only the senior counselors in each cabin, and the Hephaestus Cabin themselves knew about the old bunker.

We were walking through the woods and I was squinting, "How do people see in here, lord have mercy." I grumbled, narrowly avoiding a tree root.

"You _really_ can't see? Hm, it isn't that hard for me." Nico mumbled, before reaching over for my hand. "Just follow behind me, I'm no medic so I don't want to have to patch you up if you run into a dryad and they get angry." He added, and I wondered if he could see my eyes train to his hand that was holding mine.

Ah yes, dryads, they seemed to have something against me. Maybe it was because of my father and that nymph Daphne, nature spirits seemed to be pretty intertwined.

I always figure they gossiped to each other, like, "Oh m _y_ _gods_ , did you see that new satyr? Cutie!"

Gag me with a spoon, ew.

"Mhm…" Nico muttered, pulling me out of memory lane once again. He was just mumbling in his sleep but it was enough to pull me back to my reality of sleeping with him in his bed in New Rome instead of us walking through the woods at Camp Half-Blood alone.

His hair that had grown out since then, and was hanging in his face. I chuckled quietly to myself thinking back on it, before closing my eyes. Hopefully then I would have better luck this go around.

It turns out, I did. Nightmares be damned.

The next morning I woke up to Nico shaking my shoulder, "Wake up Sleeping Beauty; I let you sleep in until ten."

I crawled out of bed, feeling a bit better now that it was light outside; the rain seemed like a bad dream yesterday.

Days are better than nights for me. (Crazy, right? The son of the god of the sun liking the day better than night, who would've thought it?) Just feeling the sunlight come through the curtains made me feel like I didn't have to worry about what happened yesterday. It was in the past.

Nights, well the dark seems to seep into my thoughts and pulls out thoughts I hate to think to the forefront of my head. Most of the times I've had to confide in Nico have been during the nighttime.

Sometimes I think he's afraid of shadows too.

He nearly died because of them, but I feel like he's mostly scared of being abandoned and having to go through life alone. He isn't the only person, if that was the case. Maybe shadows are a metaphor for the things he fears, I'd have to ask him about that someday.

"Aw you think I'm pretty?" I asked, hearing his Sleeping Beauty comment and he threw his pillow at me before leaving the room. "You're an idiot." He said with his back turned while walking into the living room.

I had to get changed so I closed the door but not before saying, "Love you too!"

After I had changed into my gray sweatshirt mom had sent to me a while ago and some cutoff jeans with my light brown sandals I headed out to meet Nico who was dawning his usual aviator jacket.

"So what's the plan for today?" I asked him, shoving my hands in my pockets and he looked at me warily. "You sure seem chipper today."

I shrugged and sat on the arm of the couch as I looked at him. "The sun's good for me, what can I say? And sleep puts me in a better mood."

He started at me blankly for a moment before nodding as well. "Yeah, nights seem to get to you. That and yesterday was stressful in a word." He agreed, and I stood up again as he looked out at the balcony.

"So today, we're going to meet up at the café again, Roman Baths are a must do, so we'll probably do that after lunch, then we'll have to leave around four to make the train heading out east." He explained as we started to head out.

Truth be told, I was still tired and exhausted. Perhaps it was because of the emotional pressure these past few days or maybe because I haven't been sleeping the best. Lately I could sleep three fourths of the day and still feel like I got one hour of sleep.

"Awesome, sounds like a game plan." I replied as he held out his hand to me, which I graciously took in mine before intertwining our fingers together.

We headed out into the streets again and Nico gave me a small smile as he moved to my left side switching the hand that I used to be holding onto, "I'm glad you're feeling better today."

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. "So am I, though I suppose I owe you as thanks for that." I replied kissing his cheek, he shoved my shoulder as blood rushed to his cheeks.

He frowned at me and looked around, though the street we were on was practically deserted. "Gods, not while there are people around." He said and just to see how he reacted I stretched up then draped my arm around his shoulder, being the oh so smooth person I am. "I swear to Aphrodite-" He started to say, though he didn't push me away.

 _Score_.

The café came into view and I pointed to Reyna, Frank, and Hazel who were waiting there like they were yesterday. "Those three are basically the only people around." "Still." Nico grumbled, looking to his left, that adorable blush not moving away from his cheeks.

We got to the table and I was pleasantly surprised to find two chairs sitting before Nico and I instead of one. _They thought of me_. I thought sitting down.

Reyna looked at me as she ordered for us, I mouthed a thank you to her because gods knows that I didn't know what else this place had to offer and they weren't serving us menus either.

After she had done that she trained her eyes on me and it startled me to see her smile, it still seemed like a rare occurrence but it was a good look for her. I'm sure anybody who saw her smile had their heart melted; luckily, I had an exasperated Son of Hades to get my attention.

"You did well yesterday, you saved Turner's life." She told me. _Turner, that's his name_. I thought and shrugged slightly, looking at the table. "I was just doing my job, praetor. It's nothing to thank me for."

She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to me from across the table. "This is from him."

It was a small piece of regular three holed lined paper, folded twice and on the front was my name in slightly scratchy handwriting. This kid wrote more like a doctor than I did.

 _As Reyna has just told me your name I figured I better write a thank you letter. You didn't have to take up the job to being a medic because you aren't from around here yet you did. You saved my life, it's crazy to think that I wouldn't be here if you hadn't have been so quick to help. Anyhow, could you meet me at the Apollo temple before lunch?_

 _~Turner_

I folded it up again and shoved it into my pocket and looked at Nico, "Mind going with me to the Apollo temple? Turn' said he wanted to meet me there before lunch." "Not at all, but," He held up a finger as the waiter came over with our drinks and some scones, "food is calling my name."

Food comes first, I liked where his priorities lied.

Nico's stomach rumbled loudly as he picked up the scone and I laughed, "If there were any whales around I'm sure they'd think you were giving out a mating call or something." He pulled off a small piece of the flaky bread and flicked it at me.

Frank held up his hand, "That wasn't what a whale mating call sounds like; they'd probably be offended if they heard his stomach right then."

I raised an eyebrow at him, confused. "Huh?"

Hazel laughed quietly and put her hand on her boyfriend's shoulder, "He can turn into animals."

My face must have looked pretty funny because Frank let out an embarrassed laugh as he scratched the side of his neck, averting his eyes. (The praetor of Camp Jupiter seemed oddly shy, which was strangely endearing. Hazel seemed to think so too.) "Yeah," I nodded slightly, "Haven't heard of that before but cool, good for you." I replied sipping on my scalding hot tea. (Mhm, just the way I liked it.)

Nico rolled his eyes as he scarfed down his scone, resembling a squirrel with his cheeks stuffed. "Whoa, calm down. Small bites, almighty Apollo, I didn't know somebody could fit that much into their mouth." I said, and Nico swallowed down his scone before pointing at me, "Never underestimate children of Hades."

"Noted and in the vault," I told him as I restrained a laugh before I went back to my tea.

Reyna looked at the two of us with a fond smile and I looked back at her, "What?" She shook her head, still smiling faintly, "I haven't seen Nico this happy in a long time."

Was she referring to _my_ Nico, the one who had frowned a numerous amount of times in this small meeting alone? _That_ Nico di Angelo?

He shrugged lightly as he finished up his hot coco; I started to nibble on my scone. Dang, these Romans knew how to wine and dine. "Well I do have good company, and an annoying boyfriend."

Nico flashed me a teasing, lopsided smile and I rolled my eyes. "You know you love it, don't flatter yourself kid."

Hazel sighed and her shoulders drooped. "Oh no, he said it." She muttered, her curly, frizzy hair poofing out a little more than usual.

Nico frowned and threw up a hand. _Oh lord-_ I thought, sitting back in my seat as Nico stood up.

"Kid? _Kid_? Listen here, sonny boy, I am older than you, Reyna, and Frank _combined_!" He exclaimed, making some people poke their heads out of nearby stores and I held up both of my hands before I slowly pulled him down and back into his seat. "Geez, Nico, I'm sorry I said anything."

"Hmph." He muttered, crossing his arms.

Reyna laughed, "You two are adorable."

Nico pointed at her, "I will not hesitate to throw my cup at you." "Try me, di Angelo." She retorted with a confident smirk, pointing her fork at him. There wasn't a doubt in my mind she'd either dodge the cup, or somehow deflect it so it would be thrown back in Nico's direction.

Hazel started to laugh shaking her head and we all joined in, even Nico. Bless his heart, his laugh made me want to melt into my seat. It had been awhile since I'd heard his lighthearted laugh rather than a condescending and/or sarcastic laugh.

Finally when we had stopped laughing the five of us stood up and Frank looked at me, "When are you two headed to the baths? We'll join you if you want." "After lunch is what we were thinking." I replied, and Nico nodded, verifying I wasn't wrong.

With schedules I could become scatterbrained, you have no idea how many times I've been late to Capture the Flag and accidentally getting punched by own team. Not a pleasant experience, I can assure you of that.

Hazel, Reyna, and Frank nodded and told us they'd meet up with us then.

Then, Nico and I set off towards the temples. I reached over for his hand but he put it in his pocket. Apparently, he hadn't noticed it, and I wasn't going to make a big deal out of it so I mimicked him and put my hands in my pockets.

Sooner rather than later we came to a temple near the top of the hill where a temple with a golden dome, fire, and white marble sat. After getting there I'd like to say I had something to sacrifice but I didn't so I was stuck thinking: _Yo dad, sorry I don't have anything. Don't smite me with your plague arrows please and thanks. Shoot me a sign if you hear this._

Nothing, zip, nada on the sign.

I found a Turner and his reddish brown hair, hazel eyes, and looking a lot less pale than yesterday. Good.

He was had a single crutch and a bandaged arm, but other than that he looked good.

Turner looked up and his face broke out in a smile before he tried to hobble over and I held out my hand. "It's okay, stay there. I'm the one with two good legs, anyway how'd you get up here?" I asked him and he gave an embarrassed laugh.

"I had a friend who helped me. Anyway, I wanted to formally thank you." He started to say as I walked over to him and I put my hand on his good shoulder. " It's _okay_ , I'm glad to help."

The kid shook his head and dug in his back pocket, "So I was thinking last night, if you're a medic you've probably seen some things that keep you up at night…" He brought out a small package, lightly wrapped in some brown paper. "It's a dream-catcher, figured it may help, my friend gave it to me but I haven't needed it much. As thanks, I wanted to give it to you."

I took it after a moment and gave him a smile, "Thanks Turner. Need help getting down to lunch?" I asked as I put it gently into my pocket, he chuckled quietly, "I can manage, but company would be nice."

Nico laughed quietly, "Even if the Son of Hades is among said company?" Turner rolled his eyes, "If not for you Camp Jupiter wouldn't be here, so I would love your company. I'm surprised more people aren't groveling saying, 'I'm not worthy!' or somethin'."

Nico rolled his eyes in return, but there was a ghost of a smile tugging at the sides of his lips.

It was nice to see him this at ease.

And so, off we went. He hobbled beside us, making my heart lurch, seeing people hurt isn't easy for me. One of the reasons I'm a doctor/medic (whatever in the name of Apollo you want to call me) is because I hate seeing people hurt and I want to help them. Lord knows I need to become a better one, but there's always time I like to think.

I glanced down at Turner's arm and it looked like it had a fire, maybe he was a Hepha-er…Vulcan kid? He had four stripes on them so he must have been at Camp Jupiter since he was little, he didn't look more than twelve years old. That meant he had fought the Titans, or at least the Roman version, and dealt with all of the chiz with my aggravating, lying, self-obsessed, relative Octavian.

Bless Turner's poor heart for having to deal with that prick.

Bless anybody who had to, gods knows that must have been an ordeal. I heard he murdered poor stuffed animals, that monster.

We headed down and Turner looked over at me, "Did you know something would happen last night?" "I saw the storm and knew _something_ bad would happen." I said folding my arms across my chest. He nodded silently and didn't say anything for a while.

"How long have you been a healer?" He finally asked, as if he had settled on this question out of the many he seemed to have.

How long _had_ it been?

Years, that was what I was sure of. Even as a kid, I was pretty good at helping the kids out at my school if they scraped their knees or anything like that. Children seem to be pretty accident prone in my experience. How my mother kept me in check is beyond my comprehension.

"I guess as long as I've needed to be one." I thought back, as I told him my gaze falling.

You can't choose responsibility, it's thrust upon your shoulders, and if you can't handle it somebody will get hurt. Whether it's yourself, or others, there will be consequences if you can't uphold it.

I felt something warm enclose my hand, and looked down to find Nico's pale hand holding my own. I gave him a small smile, letting him know I was okay. Or at least was trying my best to be.

"Well, you must've helped a lot of people." Turner replied, giving me a confident smile, and I shrugged slightly, running a hand through my hair as I tilted my head to the side slightly, looking up at the baby blue sky that was dotted with clouds floating across the sky aimlessly.

"I sure hope I have."

((Author's Note: So from now on I'm thinking I'll switch chapter from Will's POV back to Nico's. After that I'll switch between the two. So Nico will have a chapter, Will will have a chapter, so on and so forth. To everybody who's reviewed this story so kindly, thank you so much. I read all of your reviews and they mean a lot to me. We still have a long time to go in this fanfic, I assure you. Thanks for sticking with me, and I hope you'll continue to. Lot of love to all of you and I'm sending virtual hugs! ^-^))


	15. We Say Goodbye to Friends

"I sure hope I have." Will said quietly.

 _I know you have_. I thought looking over at Will as we walked as I tried to catch his eyesight, but his eyes stayed trained on the partly cloudy sky above us.

Turner stayed pretty quiet after that and we headed over to where everybody was gathering for lunch. Eagles flew over us, not a rare occurrence here in the Roman legion but my boyfriend seemed in a trance as he watched them.

He nudged my side with his elbow, "Okay, we should start a petition to get eagles when we get back to camp." He told me and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Will, 1) it's one of the main symbols of the legion. 2) We wouldn't be able to train eagles even if we wanted to. 3) We have Pegasi, isn't that enough?"

"Fine." He groaned, Turner laughed at us, his eyes darting in between the two of us. It looked like he was piecing together something, but shrugged it away instead of stating whatever he thought. "He's definitely Greek." He mused, grinning.

Will stared at the twelve year old and upturned his palms, "What's that supposed to mean?"

The legionnaire shook his head, still grinning, "Just how you act and everything, you were serious for a moment, looking all nostalgic then that just disappeared when you saw the eagle."

The Son of Apollo pursed his lips, "So if I acted serious all of the time, I'd be able to blend in with you Romans?" Turner's smile faded and he mimicked Will's lip pursing. "No! We know how to have fun-"

I interjected, looking over at Turner, "If you have to say you're fun, odds are you aren't." "Come on," He started to protest then shut up, "…Okay. Compared to your camp, maybe we aren't _as_ fun."

Will held up his hand to high five me, under normal circumstances I would never but I figured _what the hell,_ and high fived him. The grin that guy had on his face was such a stark contrast to what he looked like last night I was at a loss for words.

Hopefully I helped him, but being as though I was about as good at comforting as an elephant being subtle that all I could do was…well, hope.

We finally made to where the legion was gathering in their cohorts, which was still a daunting sight. Reyna and Frank stood before the five cohorts, standing tall with pride before the countless faces looking up to them for directions.

Reyna was wearing her Imperial Gold armor, and Frank was dawning a similar attire except without the cape. That was something only the Daughter of Bellona seemed to be able to pull off. Hazel was standing next to Dakota, whose lips were permanently stained red due to his Kool-Aid addiction. Bacchus must've be proud, though I dread to think what would happen when the centurion turned twenty-one.

The whole legion will have to be on guard.

My mind started to wander, wondering what was happening back at Camp Half-Blood, Hades' knows that the whole place could be up in flames right now. I mean, nobody's there to make sure Connor Stoll doesn't "accidentally" anger an Ares kid.

I felt something tap my shoulder and found Hazel, "We're going to eat Nico." She said and I nodded, knowing that I probably wouldn't eat much. Those scones were oddly filling.

Turner went to go sit down with some of the kids; one of them looked like one of the people that got hit by the ballistae. They only had a few bandages, but seemed pretty glad to see Turner okay.

Hazel went to go sit with Dakota, Frank, and a few others after giving me a small wave.

Just as things started to pipe up and lunch got started Reyna stood up, causing everybody to fall silent.

"Last night, I asked Will Solace from Camp Half-Blood to be a stand by healer during the war games, and he stepped up to the task rather than declining. As some of you know about the incident, three people were hit by an accident with a rogue ballistae. One of which were seriously injured," she started to say, and I could see will sinking into his seat.

That wasn't smart because the seats were already close to the ground, he looked unsure of where to look or what to do. Obviously he wasn't used to things like this. His eyes connected with mine and they seemed to scream: "What do I do?!" I reached over for his hand and gave him a small shrug. "Gee thanks." He muttered, as eyes started to turn our way.

Reyna continued, "If not for the Son of Apollo, Turner would have died. Every member of the legion is important, and if not for him we would have lost one of our own. Camp Jupiter owes him."

Cheers rose up as Reyna took her seat and smiled over at Will, who had turned such a dark shade of red he could have blended in with the crimson cushions. He ran a hand through his hair as he quickly looked around, finding nearly everybody looking at him.

When he looked at me, his blush had begun to fade but he looked extremely unsure of what to do. "I really don't deserve all of the cheers." "I beg to differ." I replied, and he shook his head letting out a soft sigh but a faint smile was playing on his face.

When everything settled down is when he began to eat, and I sipped on my water, "You ready for the long train ride back east?" I asked him and he shrugged, "I'll probably fall asleep like usual." He replied draining his cup.

That reminded me of the phot album his mom gave to me to give to him. It seemed like an eternity ago we were there that I almost forgot about it. "When we get on the train I need to tell you about something." I told him and he looked at me as his goblet filled up again, raising an eyebrow at me curiously. "What is it?"

"Well if I told you about it you'd want to see it, and it isn't with me right now." I explained, using the pronoun game. He frowned and set it down, "Well I'm not going to argue, normally when I hear about things I like to see them for myself." He replied.

Reyna stood up only to move closer to us and looked at me, "About the Roman Baths, have you tried them before, Nico?"

I shook my head promptly, and she used one arm to lean on the cushion as she nodded. "I figured, you two will probably get there before me I'll warn you." "Must take a long time to get changed out of that armor, huh?" I replied, chuckling. She picked up a piece of bread that had been sitting on her plate uneaten, broke off a small piece and flicked it at me. "You wouldn't know, _graecas_." "

There was a piece of pomegranate on my plate and I pulled off one of the seeds and threw it back at her, "You haven't played Capture the Flag before, _romano_."

She wanted to call me Greek in Latin? Fine, I'll call her Roman in Italian. Fair game.

The praetor grinned, "I'll have to play then, show you Greeks how it's done. I'll try not to injure your medics when I fight them." She said, nodding to Will, who held up his hand defensively.

Somehow, I knew what was coming before he even said anything.

"I'm not a fighter, so you don't have to worry about that." He said before rubbing the back of his neck. He always felt bad about not being about to help in that respect.

Reyna looked at him for a moment, "You're solely a medic?" "I can shoot a bow and arrow if I have to, but I'm a healer. I don't like hurting people-" "Even monsters?" Reyna asked and he sighed.

"Even monsters. As much as I hate to say it, if I fought I'd be more of a burden than I already am." He said, his voice dropping and a look of sympathy passed over Reyna. She put her hand on his shoulder, "I can assure you that you aren't a burden. Not everybody is a fighter, and at least you know your limits." She gave him a soft smile.

Will still seemed to have trouble believing that even so.

"Thanks." He managed to say, his eyes falling.

 _Will…_

Lunch soon ended and people from the legion who I had seen only once or twice came up and thanked Will, and in a few rare cases even thanked me for helping in the war against Gaea. Surprising was the word I would use to describe it, and Will and I were both at a loss for what to do.

"Well…" Will said as we started to head back to my apartment so we could change into swim trunks. "Yeah." I agreed, knowing full well what he meant by that simple word. He nodded an shook his head slightly.

"I can see why you and Reyna are friends." He said and I looked up at him, "Friends? No, she's like an older sister."

 _Funny_. I thought, _I'm seeing her like more of an older sister than even Bianca right now._

What was I thinking? Bianca made her choice, and like she told me (at the time it felt like rubbing salt in a wound) that it was Hades' children's fatal flaw to hold grudges. Mine with her hadn't all together faded but now it was more of a lonely feel.

As I learned later, she wanted a break from being an older sister 24/7. That was like getting stabbed with a knife to me.

It felt like she had traded me in for a new family.

Trampling off with a bunch of immortal girls who hated boys, _yeah, thanks sis._ Reyna had felt what I feel and still stuck by my side. She, I knew, looked out for the people she cared about. She didn't abandon people.

(Unlike a certain di Angelo I could mention.)

And as much as my anger still hadn't subsided towards her, as much as I wanted to just move on from her death and her choosing rebirth (again, she couldn't have waited? Odds are I'll be dead by the time I hit twenty. It's hard to abandon people twice but she got that achievement.) I _still_ missed her.

As aggravating and painful as it was…she was family. She was my only family for as long as I could remember, and when she died she took a piece of me right down to Hades with her.

"Well, I'm glad you trust her that much." Will replied, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

We made it back to my apartment around ten and a half minutes later, and I shooed Will away to the bathroom while I changed in my room.

Naturally he had lemon yellow shorts on; he looked like a yellow traffic cone. Also, unsurprisingly, I was wearing black swim trunks with skulls on them. Sue me.

"Come on Lord of Darkness, I want to see these baths that everybody has been raving about." He told me, and I had to fight to keep from looking at his chest. He's the type of guy you can't tell how muscular he was with his clothes on, then the shirt comes off and… _damn_. He's one of the people back in Ancient Greece artists would be fawning over to have as a model.

He slung one of my black towels over his shoulder then stopped. "Shoot, it's October, won't it be cold when we go outside?"

I sighed and nodded, pulling on a shirt and he did the same. Little to say the least I was disappointed.

Off we went, of New Rome, my Stygian Iron sword right where I left it. Terminus huffed at us, saying we were dressed indecently, making me want to hit him upside the head with my sword to shut him up.

A few people passed us, but their gazes didn't linger too long.

"Are you ready to leave?" Will asked me and I shrugged, "As ready as I'll ever be, leaving Hazel is always hard. Don't tell her I said this but I always worry every time I leave may be the last time I see her."

He was silent for a moment before asking what I wish he hadn't asked.

"Does it remind you of when Bianca left you?" He asked and I looked at the ground.

In my mind, I could still remember the last time I saw her as easily as remembering my name. I could remember seeing her at the pavilion with Zoe, talking about their quest, and Percy coming up behind me.

Somehow Percy always seems to intertwine himself into everything. Even the things I don't want to remember him being a part of.

"Everything reminds me of her." I replied, twisting my skull ring around my finger and he bit his lip. It looked like he regretted asking, and I shoved my hands in my pockets. There I was going again, making him worry about me.

After last night I should've be the one worrying about him, not the opposite.

It seemed our relationship was a huge chess game of "who-needs-comforting-now"/ "who-needs-to-be-put-back-together".

Right now, we were both colossal messes, still recovering from the shit life had decided to throw at us.

Will felt bad about feeling bad because he says it's nothing compared to what I've been through, that was obvious.

It made me feel bad in return, and angry at the same time. Angry, because since when did pain become relative?

You're crying because a friend's life is in danger? Well so-and-so is having a breakdown because they just lost their family.

You're exhausted from having to be an emotional crutch? Well this person had had to share their pain with the people they're leading into a battle nobody may return from.

Just because my problems may be bad doesn't mean he should push away help because his aren't necessarily to my degree!

That goes for a lot of people, it goes for people with depression. It goes for humanity in general.

"Sorry for asking." Will said quietly, looking at the ground and I rubbed my temples, "Don't, you didn't mean anything bad by it. You were just curious." I looked up at him and reached over for his hand, he glanced down at me for a second before looking ahead at the road that went from the Principia to New Rome and passed the Field of Mars.

"You know what they say about the cat and curiosity." Will grumbled, frowning slightly at himself and I punched his shoulder, "You know I don't give a fuck about that cat's curiosity and how it died, right? You aren't that cat."

He stared at me baffled, "Nico, there may be kids around!" He nearly hissed. I scratched the back of my neck wincing, "Shi-," I started to say as a natural response when I caught myself. "Shoot. Sorry."

Finally, we got to the baths and the humidity went from dry to I was sweating in 0.003 seconds.

"Wow." I said, the bath was larger than any pool I had ever seen. Mosaics lined the bottom of the water that looked around five feet deep. I should be able to stand without drowning, hopefully. Light steam curled transparently from the surface of the water.

There were scenes of epic battles, monsters, and gods fighting humanoid creatures. It wasn't a shock to see the mosaic of my father Hades/Pluto in the corner sulking. _Thanks for that trait, pops._ I thought rolling my eyes, as the water lit up the large room in a blue haze.

For the minute, Will and I were alone.

I pulled off my jacket and shirt and set them down by the wall as did Will.

As I was setting down my towel by my clothes, something wrapped around my waist and lifted me off of my feet. Will.

"Let me go, I swear to any god that will listen I will-" I started to yell, probably flailing my arms in the process as Will manically laughed and dragged me to the edge of the bath. I glared at him over my shoulder, "I swear to Athena, if you dunk me in the water-"

 _Splash!_

He tossed me in the hot water, and I came up sputtering for air. "Will Solace!" I yelled, wiping the water out of my face and he put his hands on his hips leaning down to look at me. "What was that, Nico, that you were going to do to me? I didn't catch that."

I swam over to the edge of the bath and looked at him as he knelt down. "I hate you." I grumbled, crossing my arms over the edge of the pool. He grinned and sat down, dangling his legs into the water. "We both know that isn't true." He replied, and I looked up at him.

"Are you going to come in or leave me here in the water alone?" I asked him and he shrugged, "I'm awfully comfortable right here."

Before he could do anything else I grabbed both of his hands and pulled him into the water, "Agh!" He yelled before splashing me over-excessively when he emerged from below the water. "No fair!"

I splashed him back, suppressing the urge to grin. "Payback."

He sighed and closed his eyes before floating in the water, "Dang, I hate it when you argue, I can never seem to win." "Ah well," I replied with a shrug, swimming a little closer to him.

His sandy blond hair hung in his face looking light brown from the water dampening it. He ran a hand through it, though (as usual) a few chunks hung in his eyes.

"Are you glad you came with me?" I asked him and he gave me a quizzical look before smiling softly. "I am, though there were some stressful parts, I wouldn't trade it for anything."

My mind blanked, _you really enjoyed it? Even with the nightmares, nostalgia, and near death experience?_ I thought and he looked over at me, seemingly understanding my loss of words. "Nico, I'm serious. Like I said a while ago, we can't dwell on the past. These are our 'golden years' and I plan to make the most of them."

He always did things like that, saying things so hopeful or profound that I never seemed to be able to figure out what to do or say. Then he'd flip a switch and go back to his carefree self.

Will swam over to me with a small smile, "Don't know what to say?" He asked, looking at me with his blue eyes that mirrored the bath's water. "That's one way to put it." I replied with a faint smile.

There was a mall silence and I found the space in between us growing smaller by the second. "How about we don't say anything then?" I ventured and his smile grew. "You won't get any arguments from me."

I felt his hand on the back of my neck pulling me closer and then we kissed. The familiar sensation of shivers going down my back returned even though we were far from cold. The Son of Apollo smiled against the kiss laughing quietly. "Knowing our luck one of those three will walk in any moment."

"Let's hope that doesn't happen." I replied kissing him again, my mind seemed to cease function.

When I pulled back to breath (because I lost count how long we had been kissing) my mouth worked on its own as it tended to do in situations like this. "I love you." I said in barely more than a whisper, and Will's face lit up even brighter than before.

He laughed quietly and I stared at him, my smile fading. "What's so funny?" "Nothing, nothing, just I was wondering how long until you would say that in more than a whisper." He said, making me splash him in response.

When I glanced in the clear water around us I could see my reflection, and I was blushing as much (if not more) than Will had been at breakfast. I went under the water as silence enveloped me, to hide my blush and probably was unsuccessful at it.

After I came up for air, my boyfriend was looking at me with an expression I wasn't sure how to read. "Were you seriously under there so I wouldn't see your blush?" "No." I said instantly running a hand through my hair as I looked up at the ceiling that I was not surprised to find had mosaics as well. Only this one had a mosaic of the sky, moving with clouds and changing how light or dark it was in the bath house.

"Make way love birds," another voice said, when I looked at the entrance Reyna was standing there in a black one piece that crossed in an x-over her back. Her long raven black hair was still in a braid over her shoulder.

Will rolled his eyes but moved away from the edge where we were standing.

She tossed her white towel near our things and slipped into the water with ease. "Hope you two were good while I was gone." "Come on, Reyna, what do you think we were doing?" I asked her, splashing water in her direction and she pursed her lips as her gaze shifted from me to Will.

"Do you _really_ want to know what I think you two were doing?" She asked and Will held up both hand, pressing his lips in a tight line. "Nope, I'm good."

Hazel and Frank came in too; it seemed Romans were impervious to chilly weather because Frank strolled in without a shirt on like he owned the place and Hazel came in likewise. Hazel was wearing a white swimsuit that resembled something that Marilyn Monroe would wear, and Frank wore red swim trunks.

They hopped in as well and Hazel looked at my swim trunks and let out a small laugh. "Skull swim trunks?" "I happen to be fond of them." I retorted, rolling my eyes, making everybody laugh.

"What time are you leaving?" She asked after a moment and I shrugged slightly, "We have to be there around four so I figured after we get done here in the baths Will and I would head back to my apartment, get changed and head out." I explained and she nodded quietly.

Without warned she swam over and gave me a hug. "I'll miss you." She murmured and I chuckled quietly, wrapping my arms around her back as I looked at her. "Hazel, I'm not leaving yet. Don't get all emotional on me."

She gave a small shrug and futilely tried to tuck some of her bouncy, curly hair behind her ear as she stepped back from me, "You were barely here, we have to get together soon." I looked down at her and put my hand on her shoulder. "You should come to Camp Half-Blood this Thanksgiving."

I looked at Frank and Reyna, "The invitation goes to both of you as well. I'm sure we can make room for a few _romanos_ in Capture the Flag, right Will?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder at him and he nodded. "The more the merrier."

Reyna grinned and floated on her back with her eyes closed. "If it's anything like the war games you _graecas_ have your work cut out for you when I come." Frank looked around, and scratched his head, "Um…I'm Canadian Nico…Count me in though."

Hazel laughed quietly and smiled, "Sounds like a plan to me."

Thirty minutes passed and we traded stories, laughed, and reminisced so much we may as well have been in a retirement home.

I sighed looked outside, "I think we should probably leave." I told everybody and Hazel gave me another hug. "See you soon Nico." She told me, and I kissed her forehead. "See you soon. Look out for yourself and the big guy." I nodded to Frank, who held up his hands again like: "Come on!"

I looked at the Son of Mars and held out my hand, "Good seeing you again, Frank. When you come by you owe me a game of Mythlomagic." "I'll have to start practicing now if I'm to beat the master." He replied, grinning.

Finally I looked at Reyna as Hazel, Frank, and Will exchanged goodbyes. "Don't keep everything in there," She prodded my chest with her finger, "you have people you can rely on now." She enveloped me in a bone crushing hug. "Be safe, Son of Hades." "Likewise, praetor." I replied before she let me go and Will and I left the bath house.

The walk back passed in a blur, the two of us way have sprinted back because the cold seemed to seep through our clothes and freeze things I didn't know could get that cold.

When we got back we changed in a heavy sort of silence, I understood how Will felt about leaving his mother's house, this felt similar though maybe not to that degree. I straightened the blankets on my bed and hauled my bag on my shoulder. Will did the same and as we walked towards the border of New Rome he poked my arm. "So what was that thing you wanted to tell me about?"

My eyes glanced down at his bag, but he hadn't noticed. "I'll tell you on the train." "Why not now?" He pried and I shrugged, "Because I said so, Solace."

We made it to the borders and Terminus scowled at us, "Leaving so soon, eh?" "Yeah, Camp Half-Blood needs us back." I said nonchalantly as I reached down for my sword before strapping it to my belt.

"Bah." He said, if he had arms he'd be waving them dismissively at us. "Bye Terminus!" I yelled, waved at him though my back was turned because Will and I were already heading towards the exit.

Kids wearing full-fledged armor clanked past us, hauling bags over their shoulders as they breathed heavily. Though, like at Camp Half-Blood with somebody chasing Connor because he stole something, it was something that came with the package.

Will looked over his shoulder, like he did at his mother's house, soaking in every detail he could. "Do you have any paper?" He asked me and I raised my eyebrow at him, "I may, why?"

"On the train I want to sketch out this place. I may not be a fantastic archer but if there's one thing I inherited from my father, it's art." He explained using his right hand as he talked. I shrugged, thinking of the sketchbook. "I'll see what I can do."

We made it to the Little Tiber and took a deep breath, taking in everything as a small breeze blew past us almost as if gently pushing us on our way. "You said there's a college here?" Will asked and I nodded, pointing in New Rome. "We passed it a few times."

He gave a small nod, adjusting the strap on his bag, "I'll have to keep that in mind." He muttered and I laughed, always looking to the future he was, colleges, families, going back to his mom.

For a long time I never thought about the future, there was always the possibility of death looming over my shoulder at every turn. Hell, _I_ would've welcome death if I didn't have so much responsibility. If the gods hadn't used me as a tool, a-…a weapon, I would have gladly accepted death.

Being used, I something I'm not going to do anymore. The next time I would have to fight, and there was no doubt in my mind that I would have to, I would fight for what I cared about. Not some god, not for a cause to bring only them glory. It would be for my new home, the people I care about, and a cause I believe in.

"That you will, now come on, I'll shadow travel us to the station." I told him, holding out my hand and Will took it as he closed his eyes. "Are you afraid of shadow traveling?" I asked him, and he shrugged slightly, opening an eye. "It isn't pleasant."

I gave his hand a squeeze as he opened up another eye. "I promise I won't let the shadows take you." He nodded and looked at me quietly for a moment. "I know you won't." He said and we melted into the shadows.

When we reappeared we were standing at the train station we had arrived there on. "I told you you'd be fine." I told him with a small smirk and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I told you I trusted you, no need to rub it in." He replied.

The train came soon after and we stepped on.

We sat on the back of the train as usual, and Will looked at me, "So what's the thing you needed to tell me? I've been kept in suspense long enough." I nodded to his bag. "Hand me it, this may solve your paper issue too, Will."

Apparently he hadn't looked hard through his bag and I stuffed it in pretty deep because he hadn't noticed the photo album in the bottom of his bag. "Your mom wanted me to give it to you." I replied and he looked at it as though it was worth millions and he was afraid to touch it. "Really?" He asked and I nodded, placing it in his lap.

He flipped through the book and stopped on the fifth page. "I never saw this one…" He murmured, and I looked at it as well. It was a younger Naomi Solace with a man who looked her age; there was no mistaking the person in the photo next to her. That cocky, easy smile, the sandy blond hair, clear blue eyes, she was had taken a picture of herself with Apollo.

"Dad…" he murmured, "You know, I haven't actually talked to him…even though he's came to camp numerous times…never decided to speak to his own kids. I guess when the world literally revolves around you your kids don't seem to matter as much…" He muttered, bitterness seeping into his voice as he flipped to the next page quickly. I put my hand on his arm, family business with gods always tended to be messy.

My mother was murdered by my uncle, (shoot-out to you Zeus, still hate you for that) my sister was killed by a machine Hephaestus made; family wasn't an easy subject in the di Angelo household which consisted of one now.

He flipped through them so quickly when he got to some blank pages his face contorted. "Huh, that can't be right…" He murmured, when he saw Naomi's handwriting.

 _I love you so much, Will. Whenever you need a piece of home look through here, but you live a much more interesting life than I do. Take pictures, draw, and when you come back we'll have to look through them. This is your life, make the most of it._

 _~Mom_

He ran a finger over the note and then over the blank pages. "Thanks mom." He murmured, as if she could hear him. Even so I could imagine his mom's gentle smile knowing he saw this.

He pulled out a pen out of his pocket and started to draw what looked like a block then added arches and he had drawn a rough sketch of the bath house in mere moments. It hadn't even taken up most of the page and he started sketching out various places around Camp Jupiter and even an eagle.

"That's amazing." I gawked, looking at the page that had easily been filled up with every stroke of his pencil and he lamely shrugged. "Just a rough sketch, I'll even it out when we get back to Camp. I had to put those down so I wouldn't forget."

The Son of Apollo seemed to take his gifts and downplay them,

When he finished outlining everything and roughly shading he closed the book and stowed it in his bag. "So do you want to tell Chiron about your Thanksgiving invitation or do you want me to do the honors?" He asked and I shrugged, "I'm fine either way."

A yawn escaped me after I finished saying that and I covered my mouth. "Sorry-" "It's alright, you've had a long week and shadow traveling is bound to drain you. Go to sleep, I'm not going anywhere." He told me, and I nodded quietly as I set my head down on his shoulder before closing my eyes.

With that, I fell asleep to the rumbling and swaying of the train and his steady heartbeat.


	16. I Still Want To Be A Bird

Nico fell asleep on my shoulder and I found myself smiling softly. To keep him from falling off of the seat I wrapped my arm around his shoulder. (I probably would have done that regardless of if he were awake or not.)

I pulled out my IPOD with my free right hand and turned my music on shuffle. I rested my arm on the window and tapped to the music of Phil Collins, humming quietly so I wouldn't wake the Son of Hades up.

So much had happened over this past week I still felt like I was processing it all, it had been a roller coaster full of breakdowns, me being an emotional mess, and nostalgia. Nonetheless, I wouldn't have traded it for the world.

The trees passed in a blur, and sooner than I would have thought, the sun set.

My boyfriend slept like a rock, which was good; at least one of us was getting their proper rest. The moon was only a crescent, barely visible over the horizon. Maybe it was my imagination but as we passed by a long field I could have sworn there was a mass of centaurs.

Then again, it was reassuring to see something mythological. It's better not to lose your sense of reality, the reality that I live in a world of gods and monsters.

I found it odd we hadn't seen more things, monsters more specifically. Not that I wasn't relived to not have to fight or anything, because odds were I'd have to hide behind Nico or throw rocks or something. It aggravated me that I wasn't more of a fighter.

Back before the Titan War, before Percy or Nico showed up I remember Luke giving me tips on sword fighting. The old Luke, the one I used to look up to, the one who campers could come to if they needed to vent, or just needed any advice.

We spared at bit, he held obviously held back and afterwards he put his hand on my shoulder. "Fighting isn't your strong suit, but I'll tell you what. Find something you know you can do well and stick to that and you'll be fine." He told me, giving me an encouraging smile.

Hearing about him trying to kill Percy felt like a punch in the face to me. He was what I strived to be, and knowing that he was a spy for the very Titan that was trying to destroy everything I cared about…it was a tough pill to swallow.

(No pun intended.)

Conner and Travis Stoll had it the worst. People around camp started rumors saying that the Hermes cabin may be made of spies, and they wanted to stick up for their older brother, but how can you stand up for a murderer, right?

Things that people like Percy, people who don't stay at Camp Half-Blood year-round, they don't understand the extent of the emotional toll it can take on everybody. I'm not dissing him; he's done things I couldn't imagine, but he's away so much on quests he doesn't fully comprehend it.

When the Battle of Manhattan was over, he knew the counselors, he knew the head haunches around camp, but most of the people who died were people who he had never even spoke to.

Yes there was an emotional toll on him, but compared to the people having to bury the people they grew up with, and watched grow up in some cases…Michael Yew, my older brother who sacrificed himself to save everybody else on the bridge, the person who had taught me medicine, the person who sat with me behind Cabin Seven after the Battle of the Labyrinth and told me everything would be alright in time…

We had to burn an empty shroud for him, the body was never recovered.

It just was tough.

When I looked up at the sky the moon was high in the sky, apparently I had been reminiscing for quite a while.

"Not tired?" Asked Nico from besides me, I pulled out my headphones and looked at him, "What about you, aren't you tired?" I asked, answering his question with one of my own.

He rolled his dark brown eyes at me. "I slept for five hours; I might as well have been hibernating all winter." He said and I laughed quietly. "Fair enough. And no, I'm not tired."

The Son of Hades narrowed his eyes at me, "Says the one who's always getting onto me for not getting enough sleep." "Well I'm a doctor; I have the right to tell you to get sleep." I stated, lifting my chin in a dignified way.

Nico whacked the back of my head, "You're a hypocrite is what you are." I rubbed the back of my head frowning slightly at him. "I'm not the only one, gods."

His dark hair fell in front of his eyes as he shrugged off my arm, stretching his arms up and I heard his back pop a little. "Well, if you aren't going to sleep I'll give you some company." He rested his chin on the armrest and reached into my bag as he pulled out the photo album. "And you never told me you could draw, Will."

I shrugged, "Well my dad is the god of art and such." He rolled his eyes and used his left hand to flip to the page I had used to roughly sketch some places of the Roman Camp.

Looking at them now I wanted to cringe, _the shading is all off, GAH! That arch wasn't as mossy as I made it out to be!_ I thought, wanting to grab the album and throw it off the moving train.

He traced his fingers over the sketches and looked up at me, "Your dad's also the god of archery and you aren't the best at it." I pursed my lips, "Gee, thanks."

A chuckle escaped him, "You know I'm not trying to offend you, hell you stated it yourself." "I hate it when you bring up things like that from months ago." I grumbled, crossing my arms as I tried to pull the album away from him. He sat up and used both of his hands to pull it back.

"I'm looking at those." He said, and I sighed, letting go. "They aren't even that good, what's there to look at?"

He gave me a blank look then jabbed his pointer finger at the one I made of Terminus with a scowl. "Look at the detail in that, in his hair, the shading around it so you can tell it was nighttime-" "They're seriously not much, Nico-" I cut him off and he put his pointer finger on my mouth, efficiently shutting me up.

"Let's agree to disagree, sunshine." He said with a deadpan look on his face, he pulled his finger away and looked at my sketches again.

I reached into my pocket and felt a pen there, just like I wanted and flipped the page. "Can I at least draw something better then?" I asked him and he nodded, "Hope you don't mind an audience." "Wouldn't want it any other way." I retorted, grinning as I uncapped the inky pen.

For the first minute I had no clue what I was drawing until I glanced over at Nico and realized I was drawing his eyes. I was drawing the look in his eyes when he rarely smiles, when the corners of his eyes scrunch up and his pupils dilate.

Then I drew the way his hair fell in his eyes, and he looked at me with a look of curiosity. "Why are you drawing me?" "Maybe so that years from now when we're old men we can look back on this and say: 'Remember when?'" I thought aloud, still trained on the drawing.

Nico cracked a small smile, looking almost like the drawing; what I was drawing looked like when I jumped on his bed with the Polaroid.

"If we make it to being old men." He added and I flicked his forehead. " _When_ we make it to being old men I plan on sticking around to annoy you for years, di Angelo."

He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand, scowling. "I don't doubt that, Solace." I laughed and made the last scribble for his hair, and his scowl faded as he looked at it. "Whoa. You must look at my eyes a lot."

Then his face turned red as if he hadn't meant to say that. "I…I'm going to shut up." He said turning his eyes back to the paper, I laughed and used his shoulder as an armrest. (Partially because I knew he hated our height difference and his aggravation was adorable. Gods, I must be one of the only people to ever describe the Son of Hades like that.)

"I don't mind, come on, I'm not going to judge you." I said with a lopsided smile and he closed the book before tossing it in my bag with ease as he shoved my arm off of his shoulder. "I know, I know."

Hours passed as we tried our best to irritate each other, me winning most of the time because it's difficult for me to get irritated.

Finally, we arrived at the train station, and got off before rush hour so it was greatly unpacked. Nico let out a sigh of relief, crowds of the living and him do not mix, that was something I had learned.

"So…did you get us a ride back?" I asked him and he frowned, "Shit I forgot to tell Argus when we'd get back." He muttered tapping his foot; he looked at me after a minute.

I knew what he was going to say even before he said it, and I held up as hand, "No, no, no. I am not going to let you shadow travel."

He frowned, "Then how to do reckon we'll get back, if you're so smart?" He asked me and I thought for a moment then I saw what looked like a bird, but much larger fly over us. It looked like it landed a few blocks away.

Now, kids, do not follow flying animals that do not look like they're normal. What I did, was extremely stupid and I do not recommend it.

"I have an idea." I told him and he sighed, "Lead the way then."

We walked and I kept peering into alleys, trying to find that strange bird, it didn't look like a pegusus but it certainly resembled it. If my hunches were correct, hopefully it would give us a ride. If not, we'd probably be running for our lives and from sharp talons. Personally, I wasn't hoping for the latter.

"I'm starting to get the impression you don't know what you're looking for." Nico said from behind me, with his hand reassuringly on his Stygian Iron sword, and I waved my hand. "Of course I know what I'm looking for. It has wings." I replied, shooting a glance over my shoulder and I saw his frown deepen.

Maybe that wasn't the best thing for me to say…

Then after ten minutes of walking I stopped and looked into and alley and saw a huge creature with its head majestically in a dumpster.

"Is that one of those things from Harry Potter?" Nico asked, narrowing his eyes at the hippogriff standing before us.

If not for the monster class we had to take at camp I would have thought the same thing, but I silently high fived myself in my mind for paying attention.

"Yes and no. It is, in fact a hippogriff, and it just so happens to be one of my dad's symbols." I stated, holding up an index finger as it looked in our direction hearing our voice.

Its feathers glinted dark black and it's beak a washed our gray. The creature's chestnut brown eyes looked at us intelligently. _Son of Apollo_ , it spoke in my mind and I looked at Nico's face which remained a solid expression of: "What the hell?".

It seemed only I could hear it; perhaps it's because of my parentage. I had heard of Percy being about to speak horse because of his father but this was unexpected.

"Yep, Son of Apollo." I said, my hand falling and the hippogriff dipped its head in a bow. _I'm honored, did you seek me out?_ It asked and I nodded, "We did, in fact. We just so happen to have a very important mission we have to complete." I told it.

Nico stared at me, "Are you _speaking_ to it?" He asked and I nodded, "Yeah, I am, awesome right? It's actually really intelligent sounding." I added.

My boyfriend looked at me and then to the hippogriff. "It just had its head in a dumpster though."

 _That surly boy is offending me, is he with you?_ It asked and I nodded, it opened its beak and a puff of air escaped it. It sounded like a weird sigh. _He sound consider himself lucky, I don't take kindly to offenders. By the way my name is Illios._

"Well, Illios, I'll tell him to try not to offend you." I said, pointedly to Nico, who let out a sigh to rival Illios's sigh.

 _What is your mission, Apollo-son?_ She asked me and I adjusted the strap on my bag, it had been digging into my shoulder. "We need to get back to Camp Half-Blood, would you mind giving us a ride?" _I would not mind letting you ride me,_ she told me but took a step towards Nico, _but he has the stench of death surrounding him_.

"Um…he's kind of the Son of Hades, but I need him to come with me." I told her, reaching out to pat the side of her head. Her feathers were smooth against the palm of my hand. _If you insist. Climb on young ones, and do try not to pull out any feathers please._

I climbed on easily and held out a hand to help Nico up. "Come on, she said she'd take us back home." Nico looked at her uneasily but walked over and took my hand to help himself up before he wrapped his arms around my waist. "Tell me when it's over; I'm not fond of heights."

 _Ready?_ Illios asked me and I nodded, holding onto her silky feathers the best I could without pulling them out.

The alley was too small to take off in, was what I soon learned. She trotted out onto the street, narrowly avoiding a car, making me nearly fall off. "Careful!" I yelled, scared for her safety and Nico's. _Sorry, the modern world is…difficult to get used to_. She said in my mind, as she started off down the street at a run then unfolded her fingers.

Her back arched slightly then she took off like a bullet, soaring through the sky and over the building with ease. Her wingspan was at least thirty feet, and the air got colder every time she flew higher.

"Think happy thoughts, the solid ground, darkness," Nico murmured in almost a chant, pressing himself closely against me.

We were at least four hundred feet above the ground, cars passing below us, and the hum of the city starting to fall behind us as the buildings got smaller and smaller as we flew over the water. Being up this high, with such few clouds, the sun wasn't obstructed. It warmed me enough that I didn't mind the cold as the wind ripped through my clothes.

As a kid I always stuck to saying if I could be any animal I would want to become a bird, and soaring above the water, buildings, and everything else, well it just reconfirmed it.

My blond hair flew around me like a whirlwind and I felt cold again, I looked up and saw the shadow of a cloud right above us.

Carefully, I let out one of my hands and reached up to feel the icy cloud running through my fingertips as we flew.

"What are you thinking, get your hand back on her!" Nico yelled over the wind, his grip on me nearly a bear-hug.

I laughed and griped Illios again, letting out a sigh of happiness.

Soon, Long Island Sound came into view and we started to descend towards the docks. The cabins looked as mismatched as ever, and the place seemed to be…not in chaos for once.

Illios landed smoothly, and Nico slid off. If nobody had been around, he probably would have started to kiss the sand. "Land." He mumbled, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath.

I patted Illios's side and smiled at her. "Thank you." _It was my pleasure._ She replied before walking over to the docks and running off before flying off towards the horizon.

Kayla came running over to me, with her bow in her hands. Her red hair with green dye was tied back in a pony-tail and her face was awe-struck. "Was that a hippogriff?! Oh my gods!" She exclaimed, and then gave me a tackle hug. "It's good to see you, Will." She added, and I ruffled her hair. "Good to see you too."

Nico was hunched over, breathing heavily, his hands on his knees.

"Flying doesn't suit him, huh?" She asked, and Nico looked up at her, "Never again, next time, we're shadow traveling." He said, shaking his head.

Kayla let go of me and I walked over to Nico, "I need to get this Son of Hades something to help his motion sickness." He frowned slightly but didn't argue. "Go to the infirmary, I'll be there in a minute." I told him, holding out my hand for his bag and he handed it to me.

A good remedy for motion sickness I learned from my mom, ginger. Odds are the kitchen should have _some_ ginger. I could make ginger tea, perfect, I had it at a restaurant once and it was really good.

I tossed his bag on his bed in the Hades Cabin before doing the same with my bag. Austin was sitting in the cabin with his ukulele. "You're back!" He said, running over and giving me a hug as well. "It's been quiet without you." "Ah, we wouldn't want that, would we?" I asked, raising an eyebrow with a smile and he punched my shoulder lightly.

After that I got one of the cups that fills up with anything you want and it filled with the ginger tea, I sprinted back to the infirmary with it carefully so it wouldn't spill.

Nico was lying on a cot, with his eyes closed and his fingers pressed to his temples, and I sat on the edge of the cot. "No need to fear, your doctor is here." I told him and he sat up as I put the cup in his hands.

He sipped on it and sighed, "Better, thanks doc." "It's my job, as your boyfriend and doctor. Think nothing of it." I replied, waving my hand.

The sound of hooves approaching came from outside and Chiron's friendly face greeted us. "You're back." He said walking in. I nodded with a smile, "We are, this one had to fly back on a hippogriff so he's a bit light headed."

Chiron's face looked like he was astonished for a moment. "A hippogriff, they're rare creatures. Is it because of your father that it let you ride it?" He asked and I shrugged, "It seems so, are they not seen often?"

He nodded, "One hasn't been spotted in over a century, and it was only seen by a child of your father."

Nico drained his cup and set it down on the side table next to the cot. "Well it is his father's symbol; it doesn't sound too surprising to me." Chiron nodded to him and crossed his arms with a small smile. "You do bring up a good point, anyhow. How was seeing your families?" He asked and I smiled at the thought of my mom.

"It went well, thanks for letting us go." I told him and he held up a hand, closing his hands. "Don't think anything of it. Family is important, especially now."

That reminded me about Thanksgiving.

"Chiron," I started, scratching my neck, "Would it be alright if next month on Thanksgiving we had the Romans over? Reyna, Hazel, and Frank?" I asked and he rubbed his chin, it seemed he was starting to grow his winter beard.

He thought for a moment before nodding, "It would be fine. Reyna could stay in the Big House being as though we don't have a Greek counterpart of her mother, Bellona."

Nico's lips upturned into a small smile, something only a few people including myself could detect. "Sounds good to me." He said, and gave me a nod. "Thanks for helping me out with my motion sickness."

He stood up and began walking back to his cabin, yawning. "I'm going to sleep for a little bit, wake me up when dinner comes." He called over his shoulder.

That left Chiron and me alone. "Tiring trip?" He asked me, and I laughed. "Yeah, I think traveling tires him out."

After that I quickly explained about the trips, the finer points, leaving out the stolen kisses of course. He nodded, "You must be tired as well, go get some rest as well, Will."

I nodded, suddenly feeling exhausted. "Thanks Chiron." "Think nothing of it." He replied as I made my way back to my cabin and bed before collapsing onto it. I was back home, my second home, but it still meant just as much as the one I grew up in with my mother.

Austin was still playing his ukulele in the corner, and I fell asleep to the peaceful sounds of his small instrument and the hyacinths sitting in the windowsill.


	17. Back at Camp

There was a tapping on my shoulder and I rolled over on my bed. "Leave me alone, Will." I grumbled, and I heard his familiar laugh.

"How'd you know it was me, sunshine?" "Because you're one of the only people who would wake me up." I replied, him talking was waking me up, damn.

I sat up groggily, looking across the room at the orange-red light that was seeping through my window; it looked like the sun was setting. "How long did I sleep for?" I asked, standing up as I ran a hand through my hair.

Will put a hand on his waist and tapped his chin. "Around eight hours or so?" "Great." I grumbled, and he laughed again.

"What are you so grumpy about?" He asked folding his arms across his chest, and I stared at him. "Is this any unusual from how I normally am?"

He uncrossed one of his arms and closed his eyes before holding up a finger, "Fair point, di Angelo."

The Son of Apollo walked over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, "Not that I mind, or anything." I shook my head, something about him not getting made or aggravated at me I found funny.

Anybody else would have checked out and would have gotten angry at me or something, instead he seemed to be amused by my sultriness. He's an odd duck, that Will Solace. Not that I minded that either. I was a bit of an odd duckling myself.

(What am I even saying anymore?)

The two of us walked to the Dining Pavilion with the familiar smell of camp whirling around us, it was a bit difficult to describe because it changed with the winds. It could smell salty like the ocean (or like a certain Son of Poseidon I could mention), the strawberry fields, the woods, or the hearth.

All in all, it was home.

That was something I never would have thought I would describe this place as but it was. I had Will, people here that were friends…? It still was difficult for me to admit that even now.

"So have you told Kayla and Austin about the trip?" I asked Will, looking up at him. He sighed, "I woke up around fifteen minutes ago and found the cabin empty, so no. They'll probably badger us at dinner. Especially about the hippogriff."

Ah, the hippogriff.

The memory of Will's eyes dancing in the sunlight as he stretched his hand up to touch the cloud above us surfaced clearly. His hair whipped around him and he had the biggest grin on his face, like he was weightless.

"I'll leave talking about the hippogriff to you." I told him, as we made it to the Dining Pavilion.

We sat opposite of Kayla and Austin and she propped her chin up on her hand. "So...?" "So…what?" I asked her and Austin laughed, "Tell us about the trip!" I looked at Will, who just chuckled; his arm was still around my shoulder.

Chiron announced tonight we would not be having dinner and he made eye contact with Will, then nodded in my direction.

Will looked at me, "Before we start talking about the trip I'm going to tell you about the new plans for a more intense version of Capture the Flag I guess." He said and I suddenly remembered the thing he was supposed to tell me about.

Austin sat forward on the table, and nosily slurped on his drink. "Well, get on with it, bro!"

The eldest Son of Apollo held up a hand and closed his eyes. "Okay, so a few years ago, before the war with the giants, we fought the Titans. During that war, we had the Battle of the Labyrinth."

I narrowed my eyes at him and found my knuckles were white from how tight I had been holding them.

The Labyrinth was not something I wanted to remember.

While I was wandering the cursed maze with that vengeful Judge of the Dead who used me like a puppet on his strings. The two things we had in common were that we were both consumed in the shadows and hatred.

My loneliness was the worst thing about it, and the darkness that seemed to follow my every step didn't help. The walls that changed and each corner unfolded a new horror, if I hadn't had gone to Tarturas that would be the place where most of my nightmares would be from.

When I was that young and my grudge had a hold over me, it hadn't seemed that bad. Now, the thought of that sinister maze made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

"But it collapsed when Daedalus died; it was tied to his life force." I told Will, frowning, but even before he opened his mouth I knew what was coming.

"It didn't though; we found an entrance to it. _I_ personally haven't gone in, but Chiron says it's much safer than how it used to be. It's mellowed out, I think were his words."

He explained it, but that didn't help the bad feeling I was getting from thinking about it. "And you want _campers_ to go into that death trap?" I asked him, and he held up his hands. "Harley went in there, and he's fine."

I jabbed my thumb in Harley's direction, "Any monster would fear that kid, he has the arms of a bear."

"Hey! I heard that!" Harley yelled from the Hephaestus table, and I saw Nyssa cracking her knuckles. "That was a compliment; you need to be strong now." I replied, rolling my eyes at her.

I rubbed my temples and let out a disgruntled sigh. "Fine. Fine." I said as I stood up and walked over to Chiron after taking off Will's arm that was still draped around my shoulder.

The old centaur looked at me was I walked over to him. "You won't hear any objections to go into the maze from me," I started and he nodded, then chuckled, "I feel as if you're going to request something, Mr. di Angelo."

"You have that right. My one condition is no matter what you do in that maze, nobody goes in alone. If somebody comes out alone, we all go in to find who was left behind." I said, crossing my arms.

Some of the Hermes kids after the battle were talking about Chris Rodriguez, a Son of Hermes, who had gone insane in the maze. Clarisse was more serious after coming out of the maze too, with fresh scars to match.

There was no way in Tarturas I was going to have that happen to anybody else, mellowed out mazes be damned.

"That can easily be arranged. Thank you for your concern." Chiron said with a faint smile and I nodded before leaving to go back to the Apollo table.

Dinner passed, with me staying relatively quiet while Will retold the gist of what happened until the part where he was on stand-by as a medic.

He nearly skipped over that part.

Little to say the least, if I hadn't have stepped in they wouldn't have known how heroic he had been. Yes, in my book that counted as a heroic move, anything you do to protect something is marked as that to me. People need to start seeing heroes aren't just the ones in stories, who slash their sword, and go on epic adventures, but the ones who save lives every day, the ones who stay to comfort a friend when nobody else does.

Around here, if you asked a camper who they thought of first when it came to with heroes; odds are they'd say Perseus Jackson.

Another thing that initially made me like him was the fact that he was a picture perfect hero, but hearing some stories, hearing about Tarturas…He has a darker side to him.

Me? Looking at it, you can't pin the role of a hero onto one person. "Hero" is a crippling title.

He was lucky the gods left him alone after being in two wars. He was given the chance to walk away.

Somebody like me? Somebody who now knows only a small bit about the real world, and not the world of gods is stuck in this life. Will feels like he has a duty to the camp, so in a way he's in the same boat I was in. Only he had an outlet, he could go to college to be a doctor.

Me?

What did I have?

A sword and a personality that was in dire need for anger management, that's about all I had going for me.

Now that I wasn't in the mindset I wouldn't be disappearing forever, now I had a whole other pill to swallow. I had my whole life ahead of me and the shadow it cast over me was daunting. I hadn't gone to school in…well, since Westover Hall, and that was murder. Academically I had nothing.

All I knew is that I wanted to make sure that I could help somebody, maybe kids? Make sure they never felt the darkness that I had.

Still, that would mean schooling if I wanted to pursue physiology or anything along the lines of that and that was like swallowing a horse pill. Not fun. Painful.

"Will saved a kid named Turner, if not for your brother he would have died." I told the two of my boyfriend's half-siblings. Will upturned his palms at me,

"Really? It wasn't _that_ heroic." I rolled my eyes so hard my vision went blurry for a second. "Says the boy who got a shout out from the Roman praetor."

Kayla tapped on the table in an excited way. "The Roman praetor?! I have no idea what that is, but it sounds awesome! Good job Will." Austin put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her down. "The Roman praetor was the girl in golden armor that came her with Nico, you dingus."

From there the brother and sister began to bicker.

"I'm not a dingus!"

"Are too."

"What even _is_ a dingus?!

Will rubbed his temples but I could hear his laughter, "Lord almighty have mercy on me." He muttered, his smile was light though (no pun intended). It seemed like he was happy.

After dinner was over we headed back to the cabins and I felt a tap on my shoulder, it was Connor Stoll. I was surprised to see him of all people trying to talk to me. Will had gone off to check on everything in the infirmary, something he hadn't had a proper chance to do.

"Is there something you need?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow at him and he nodded. "Yeah, I figured with the Labyrinth being back and all, I needed to train some more. Make sure I'm not decapitated when Travis comes back. You're a good sword fighter, and I'm not bad, but I'm not good either. Tomorrow during free time would you want to duel with me?" He asked, taking me by surprise again.

"Like a sword instructor?" I asked and he shrugged, "I don't care about titles, you in?" His eyes danced with their usual: "you-probably-shouldn't-trust-me" light and his grin seemed just as large as ever. He was like a more confident version of Leo.

It didn't sound like he was going to pull anything; my bullshit meter wasn't going off so I nodded. "Don't be late."

He slapped me on the shoulder, "Awesome, see you then," before heading off.

A voice from behind me asked, "Don't be late for what?" Will Solace asked and I sighed deeply.

That may not have sounded the best if he walked in on the last part of our conversation. "Will-" I started to say and he tapped his food on the grassy ground. "Don't be late for what?" "Sword fighting, he wanted to duel me, maybe get some pointers." I told him quickly.

There was a sigh of relief that escaped my boyfriend's lips. "Thank the gods; I was worried there for a moment." I crossed my arms and frowned at him before waving my hand in the direction the youngest Stoll brother had ran off to. "Why? Did you honestly think I was trying to sneak off with _Connor_ and cheat on you?"

Will have a shy laugh and rubbed the back of his neck, a blush crawling up his cheeks. "When you care about somebody you can get a little protective of them. And you worry about them."

I walked over and punched his shoulder. "You idiot, don't say things like that, it makes it really hard to be mad at you."

He rubbed his shoulder, "Ow." Another laugh greeted me and his blue eyes looked at me happily. "Ah well, I guess it's just a specialty of mine."

He reached over for my hand then started to walk to my cabin. "If you have to fight tomorrow then you have to sleep, doctor's orders." He stated and I restrained yet another eye roll.

This boy was driving me crazy. In a good way, mind you.

The familiar green torches that burned with Greek Fire were perched beside my door and I reached over for the doorknob as I let go of Will's hand. "Goodnight." I told him and he seemed slightly disappointed.

"What? No kiss goodbye." He asked, looking like a puppy who had its treat taken away.

 _Don't give me the eyes-_ He raised his eyebrows slightly, taking a step closer to me with those blue eyes that were gentle as a stream in the woods.

 _Oh fuck_.

"Solace, I hope you know how much I dislike you right now." I told him before closing the distance and kissing him. "I hope you know how much I love you." He murmured in reply, giving me another kiss before taking a step back. "Now, go to bed." He said, giving me a one handed wave as he sprinted off towards his cabin in his usual cat like manner.

My lips still tingled as I stepped into my cabin, shaking my head as my heart hammered.

If you had have told me a year ago that I would be dating the dorky Son of Apollo, I would have laughed, or scowled. Knowing me, it would probably be the latter case.

I flipped on my music and fell onto my bed, looking up at the ceiling. In the light of the setting sun the jewels glittered brightly and made me feel like I was living in a disco ball. The light flashing in my face every time I looked remotely at the ceiling made me grimace and turn over so my face was almost suffocated by the pillow.

An hour later I was still tossing and turning, yet the gems on my ceiling weren't bright anymore. The moon had replaced the sun in the sky and yet sleep evaded me.

Isn't that always how nights like this went though?

The more you searched for something, the more it evaded you. That feeling that you should know something, that word you can't remember yet it's on the tip of your tongue? That's what sleep tended to be like for me.

The only time I could sleep well lately was with Will.

Perhaps my brain had got used to his steady heartbeat, the warmth on my chest, and that lulled me to a peaceful sleep. Now that he was gone, even though he was only a short walk away…he may as well have been in the Underworld.

He was better for my sleep than any medicine he could prescribe, like I may have mentioned weeks ago. This just verified my thoughts on that.

I sighed and got up out of my bed, and changed into a sleeveless t-shirt and some sweatpants before heading over to the punching bag.

Now, normally when I did this, my mind tended to wander. Sometimes for better, or for worse.

Twenty minutes passed.

"You're just a tool, a weapon for the gods." I could hear Cupid's voice in my ear and I found the bag seemed to be hit harder. "You are nothing more than a pawn. A mistake that they've used, once you're usefulness has run its course they'll sacrifice you for something better."

Sweat ran down the back of my neck and down the sides of my face, yet I didn't-couldn't stop.

I didn't want to stop until I was too exhausted to think or feel, this past week had been full of so many ups and down that all I wanted at the minute was to have the emotional range of a spoon. At the minute, I didn't care what emotion that spoon consisted of or how many.

Finally, I looked at my hands, which were shaking and bruised and decided to stop. My music was played some song from _A Day to Remember_ but I wasn't paying attention. I just wanted a long shower and some (hopefully good) sleep.

The shower was lukewarm, back to my regular temperature and bringing me back to reality.

That punching bag had accomplished exactly what I wanted it to. When I sat down on the bed before stretching out above the covers, I was out within the next minute.


	18. I'm Going to Kill Connor

"Aw, Will were you jealous?!" Kayla exclaimed that night as we sat in the cabin, she had asked me if anything interesting had happened after dinner.

With Kayla, if you didn't tell her, she would find out eventually. Maybe it's something all women had, a tendency to find information better than the FBI if they wanted it. It was easier just to tell her.

Well, up until she started teasing me.

"I-no I wasn't." I grumbled, wanting to suffocate myself with my pillow and Austin half-mindedly tuned his ukulele that he seemed to tote everywhere with him. "Mhm, sure you weren't." He mused, and I pointed my finger at him.

"Don't make me curse you with speaking only in rhymes for the next three weeks." I threatened and he played the chorus to _Jealous_ by _Nick Jonas_ on his ukulele. I

That boy wanted to test me; rhyming curses were a specialty of mine.

I closed my eyes the lights in the room dimmed, then a grin flashed on my face as the lights came back and Austin glowed slightly, when it faded Austin looked mortified.

He stared at me and Kayla laughed, "You're going to have a fun two weeks."

"Sadly, this isn't a first. Will, I hope you know you're the worst." Austin put his tiny guitar down and threw his pillow at me. I tossed it back and laughed, "Oh I know. Now if you excuse me I have to sleep."

Before I could, however, I heard his voice grumble. "How come you didn't make Kayla rhyme? She gets out of this stuff all of the time!" Kayla's maniacal laughed ensued and she rubbed her hands together, "'Cause I don't poke the bear."

The two bickered for another hour, not a rare occurrence I assure you, little to say the least I drowned them out and fell asleep.

In the early morning, when the sun's light poured into our cabin, normally we all woke up when sun peeked over the horizon. Today was no exception.

"Up and at 'em." I said, even though we woke up early didn't mean we liked it. I nudged Austin's shoulder. "Ugh." Was his reply.

Apparently rhymes don't work with things such as that.

As I stepped outside to look around, I lifted my hand to shield my eyes from the sun's direct light.

Nobody seemed to be awake, naturally. Normally on days like this the Apollo kids just mill around camp, or stay in the cabins and read or such. It gives us a head start on the day.

I climbed up the vines onto the roof and put my hands behind my head as I let out a long breath. A soft breeze blew across the top of my cabins, making my hair tickle my forehead. A small smile crossed my face as I smelled the faint ocean smell that the gentle wind had carried.

It seemed so peaceful I might have dozed off.

"Will, are you sunbathing?" Asked a familiar voice from the ground, and I was not surprised to see Nico standing there in his aviator jacket with his black Stygian Iron sword strapped to his waist.

Something hit me, when I first saw him he looked a little pale, a bit like he had when he had come out of the maze. Now, he seemed to be getting back his olive complexion. (Something I didn't mind one bit.)

"I may be? Care to join me? There's still time before breakfast, right?" I asked, sitting up and he sighed before walking over to the wines to come up. "Fifteen minutes, but yes there is a bit of time." He started to climb up and I held out my hand for him just like I did weeks ago. It seemed like another lifetime that I had first confided in him, telling him about my nightmares, him telling me about his.

Who would have guessed things would turn out this way? Certainly not me, I can swear that on the River Styx.

He reached up and took a hold of my hand and I hauled him up, and sat with my legs crossed out in front of me. He sat Indian-style, leaning back on his hands that were out behind him.

"You ready for your sword fight today?" I asked him and he rolled his eyes, "Do I look worried?" He replied.

I turned up my palms and leaned back slightly as I shook my head, "You look the way you usually do, like you want to punch something." "Keep talking and that thing may be you." He said, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

The breeze kicked up again, making his dark brown hair (so dark it was nearly black) hair sway in his face. "I'm not worried, so you don't have to either." He said and I raised an eyebrow, letting out an awkward laugh. "Who said I was worried?"

Nico turned and looked at me with his piercing eyes. "You're my boyfriend and doctor, I know you're worried."

 _Damn he knows me well_. I thought, looking at the roof as I rubbed the back of my neck. "Well…"

A sigh escaped the son of death as he started to climb off the roof. "It's time for breakfast, come on."

It didn't feel as if fifteen minutes had passed, but he was probably accounting for the walk over as well.

When we both had climbed down I looked down at him. "Could I at least watch, so that if something does happen I'm there?" I asked him, and he waved a hand as he started to walk. "I wouldn't expect anything else from you."

Nico sat down on my right and I sat next to Kayla, who was holding a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Austin was giving me a glare to rival Nico's, and Nico looked from him to me. "Okay, Will, what did you do to Lakes?"

Kayla started laughing and banged her fist on the table, "He cursed him with rhyming, and it is the funniest thing." "You heard her. This is murder!" Austin said, and then realized he did it again, and his eye started to twitch.

It was difficult to keep from doubling over from laughter, like Kayla was.

Nico raised an eyebrow at us dubiously and watched Austin with a blank face.

"Why did you curse him?" He asked me and I waved my hand, "That isn't important." _Don't notice my blush, please_. I thought scratching my neck.

My little brother seemed to get an idea and before I could stop him he grinned. "It's because Will got jealous. Then he cursed me because he's overzealous." He pointed to his mouth and I threw my cup at him. "Seriously, Austin? I live in the bed next to you; I can do worse than give you rhyming curses."

I turned to Nico who still had a blank expression yet was staring at me. It felt like when a video paused and had the buffering symbol that goes round and around and around. Then he drew his eyebrows together and pressed his pointer fingers together before pressing them to his mouth. "You were _jealous_?"

At that second I wanted Zeus to strike me down with a bolt of lightning, Nico's look of: "What the hell?" was more fear inducing than anything Thunder-pants could do. ( _If you heard me there, Zeus, no hard feelings, right?_ )

"They misinterpreted that, Nico, I wasn't jealous I was more worried and they mistook it for jealousy." I sat quickly, not stopping to breathe until he lowered his hands. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "You are a hot mess, Solace."

At least he didn't punch me in the shoulder, his punches hurt. Even if he doesn't mean it to be, and thinks it's a light punch.

"I can deal with being a hot mess." I replied with a shrug.

Kayla chose that time to pipe up, "Wait so if he's _hot_ , doesn't that make me _cooler_ than him?"

Nico pressed his fingers against his temples and his head fell. "I'm surrounded by idiots." Austin grinned, "Idiots, they may be. Course you aren't talking about me." "Especially you." Nico replied, his hand falling into his lap as we all started to eat.

After breakfast we all broke off to go to our different activities, the Apollo Cabin was set to go to monster class which I found myself falling asleep in.

I had been going to the class for years, and somehow we still hadn't made it through even half of the monsters in Greek Mythology.

And now we even had Roman Mythology to deal with! Which god wanted to make my life a living hell because whoever was the mama of half of the monsters I wanted to give a royal slap upside the head.

 _I mean…we did beat Mother Earth so I guess that counts_. I thought, waking up slightly though my eyes still felt heavy.

When I woke up I found spitballs stuck in my hair and Austin blew a raspberry at me. The little punk. Kayla rolled her eyes as I futilely tried to get the stick wads of paper out of the back of my hair. "Boys." My little sister muttered as she moved her seat up so she could pick them out of my sandy blond hair.

Speaking of hair, her green dye was in need of a touch-up; maybe one of the Aphrodite kids could give her a hand because I was useless in that department. Hell, I'm awful in the "girl" department. Guys are much easier to hang out with, not that I mind girls or anything…

The rest of the day crawled by slower than when Kronos had tampered with time in the Battle of Manhattan.

"Free time, whoopee! I'm off to play my ukulele!" Austin exclaimed before clenching his fists as his shoulders shook slightly before he shot me a glare. If looks could kill I would be well on my way to Hades.

Hopefully Nico would put in a good word of me to his father.

 _Free time_ , I mused before remembering, _the sword fight!_

I sprinted to the infirmary and grabbed my medical kit before sprinting off to the arena where Nico had already taken off his jacket.

His hair was tied back, and he looked like he was in his comfort zone, he stretched his arm across his chest before glancing over in my direction. "A medical kit? Really?" He asked and I shrugged before I sat it down by a bench and walked over to him. "My motto is hope for the best, plan for the worst."

He rolled his eyes as I looked to my left and saw Connor in full armor. "I'm not taking any chances against him." The younger Stoll brother said, pointing at Nico, who simply exhaled a little louder than usual.

"Are you finally ready, Stoll? All I'm doing is killing time." Nico said scowling at Connor, who adjusted one of the straps on his chest plate. "Hold on a minute, would ya'? You sound like Travis." He grumbled the last part before lifting his sword in Nico's direction. "Are you ready?" He replied and Nico gave a nonchalant shrug.

That seemed to be my cue to take a step back to make sure I wouldn't get decapitated. I sat down on the bench, my foot tapping out of nervousness.

The distance between the two of them closed and Nico held his sword with two hands to begin with, his stance looked like a black panther. His shoulders were hunched slightly and his jet black sword was at a slight angel, ready to parry any attack Connor could launch at him. His knees were bent slightly.

Even though his back was to me, something told me a slight smirk was playing on his face. "Well, Connor, what are you waiting for?" Nico prodded, and Connor readied his sword before bringing it down so quickly that I felt myself jump a little off of my seat.

Nico stepped to the side so the sword barely missed him but when I saw his eyes they were flashing with excitement.

Before Connor could react Nico knelt down quickly and knocked Connor's legs out from beneath him, knocking the sword out of Connor's sword out of his hands in the process before standing over the Son of Hermes with his Stygian Iron sword's tip to Connor's throat.

"Want to try that again or are you calling it quits?" Nico asked, tilting his hand down slightly and Connor swatted the sword away but the flat of it. "I'm just getting warmed up, di Angelo."

Five minutes passed, and the Son of the god of Mischief put up a decent fight, before Nico used his left hand which the he was holding the sword in and hit him in the stomach with the hilt of Nico's sword.

He'd have a bad bruise in a few hours, the poor soul. He held up a hand, stopping the fight. Nico stabbed his sword into the ground and leaned on it. "Still want to keep going?" "You better believe it." Connor replied.

He picked up his Celestial Bronze sword and waved it at Nico as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "You were a bit sloppy there, Nico, you sure you don't need this as much as I do?"

My boyfriend plucked the sword from the ground and held it in his left hand.

Connor tossed off the armor he was wearing, seeming to get agitated and Nico tossed the sword's hilt from hand to hand. "Stoll, I have to tell you something," He started before he kept it in his right hand, "I'm not left handed."

"Are you _sure_ you want to keep this up?" Nico asked him, grinning and Connor nodded with determination. "Definitely, bring it."

Nico lunged towards him, slicing up at him with ease. Connor brought his sword down at a perpendicular angle, bringing it to a halt before they were at a standoff.

Now you wouldn't expect somebody like Connor Stoll to be able to have a standoff with Nico, (especially after seeing his abs. _Damn_.) but here he was, standing toe to toe with him. Connor sure seemed to be putting up a hell of a fight.

Suddenly his face broke out in a grin and he ducked a rolled to the side, making Nico topple over and his sword to fly out of his hand. "Shit." I heard him mutter as he tried to get to it.

Connor stood in his way though, an efficient wall blocking Nico's weapon.

"Shouldn't you stop?" I called from where I sat, Nico didn't have his weapon, game over, right?

Nico shook his head. "No. We're just getting started."

He rushed forward and Connor looked momentarily panicked because he didn't want to actually hurt him. _I_ didn't want him to hurt Nico.

Out of instinct though he slashed, and Nico tried to step out of the way but didn't quite make it. "Nico!" I yelled, standing up but he rolled and picked up his sword with a wicked grin on his face. "I'm fine."

The cut on his chest begged to differ, but when your boyfriend can raise skeletons, turn somebody into a ghost and have them dragged into the Underworld, _and_ is holding a sword…well, it's a bit difficult to argue. Maybe he was having an adrenaline rush at the moment, but whatever it was, it would be difficult to assess how bad the cut was until this dumb fight was over.

Connor's eyes flicked to Nico's chest but he shook his head and continued on, putting a lot of power into his strike, maybe he was planning on hitting Nico in the head?

Anger flared inside of me for Connor, what had been his plan with that slash?! If he hadn't have moved out of the way Nico would have had a decapitated head lying on the ground now. If Nico had have moved his muscles even a centimeter he could have cut a little too deep.

Yes, fighting was essential, but this crossed a major line. (Maybe it was just me being protective over my boyfriend, I'll admit, shut up.)

There was a flash of bronze and black and Connor's sword flew out of his hand.

"I'm good, we can continue this another day." Connor said, holding up his hands as he looked at Nico's chest. "I'm sorr-" "It's okay, you're getting better. That or I was sloppy." Nico replied with a small shrug before wincing.

Yup, the adrenaline was wearing off.

I ran over to Nico and glared at him. "Do you know how stupid that was; if you moved a second later he would have gutted you!" I exclaimed, throwing up my hands before I grabbed him by the shoulder and hauled him back to the bench where I sat him down.

"I knew something like this would happen." I told him, frowning as I knelt in front of him and opened up my bag and got out the disinfectant. "It isn't that deep." "Don't care, you were still being stupid." I replied putting a wash cloth over the top of the bottle before flipping it upside down as I let it soak into the cloth. After a moment I flipped it over again and capped it before slipping the bottle back into the bag.

He pulled off his shirt, wincing ever so slightly in the process and I saw it wasn't _too_ bad. It was deep enough that it drew blood but it shouldn't cause any lasting damage. Maybe a thin scar, and gods' knows that he has plenty of those.

"You're worried." Nico stated as I began to clean it up, not at all phased by the blood. The only reason my hand was shaking was because it was his blood. It reminded me of the dream. If something had have gone awfully wrong today what would I have done and would I have been able to stop it?

He bit his lip to keep from groaning, from the disinfectant and I lightly dabbed at it. "Of course I'm worried." I muttered, my voice unwillingly shaking. "I hate seeing you hurt, Nico." I added, not risking a glance up at him.

I finished and tossed the rag in the bag; under normal circumstances I probably would have just slung it over my shoulder. But if I saw any more of his blood I was going to kill Stoll, even if it wasn't his intent to hurt Nico.

"I know you do." He replied as I looked at it, it wasn't serious enough for stitches, I could just bandage it up and it should at least scab over quickly. I pulled over the bandages and finally looked up at him.

The little turd was smiling! "What is that for?" I asked, frowning slightly as I stood up, his eyes followed me as I moved around to his back. A faint chuckle escaped him.

"I dunno, you worrying, you really care about me, huh?" He looked at me over his shoulder, some of his hair sticking to his forehead from sweat.

"Of course I do you little horseshit." I grumbled, pursing my lips as I started to wrap up his wound.

He laughed harder. "Horseshit?" "What? I'm not going to call you 'babe' after I was about to kill Connor for hurting you." I said, finishing up faster than I would have thought initially.

He stood up and held up his tattered black shirt before sighing softly. "Dammit, he owes me a short for ripping this one straight to Hades."

It had almost escaped my mind that Nico generally did not walk around camp shirtless; if I did nobody would bat an eye. (Okay, he might, but other than him.) I sighed and pulled off my plain white t-shirt before holding it out to him. "Just be sure to return it, I happen to like this shirt." I told him, having a strange sort of déjà vu.

Our stances had been flipped, once he had given me his jacket now I was giving him my shirt. Karma was weird in that sort of way.

"Ew, it's white." He said, wrinkling his nose in distain, being almost as dramatic as me. I knew he was joking and I ruffled his hair. "Just put on the dang shirt, okay?"

He pulled it on and stuffed his hand on his jean pockets as I picked up his sword, "Aren't you forgetting this?" "Aren't you forgetting I'm wounded." He replied, grinning at me, making my heart hammer uncomfortably fast in my chest.

"You're pushing your luck today, di Angelo." I told him, pointing at him before I walked over and picked it up before holding my medical kit in my other hand. "Now I know how Hephaestus's mule feels." I grumbled and Nico laughed. "Is this how _I_ normally sound?"

I kicked his shin with my foot and nodded to the cabins, "Yes, quite often, now shut up and walk to the cabin. Wounded Sons of Hades don't get to relentlessly tease their boyfriends."

He raised an eyebrow but began to walk. "Says who?" "Me, you're boyfriend-doctor extraordinaire." I replied, lifting my chin up ever so slightly bring about one of his oh so famous eye rolls.

We walked back, and I saw him all the way to his cabin and he pushed open the door to the cabin, closing his eyes briefly as he went to lie in his bed. I set down his sword by the door and kissed his forehead. "I'll be back in a little bit." "Where are you going?" He asked, sitting up slightly but I looked down at my bare, freckly chest.

"Um…well, for one thing, I am in desperate need of a shirt." I told him. "I don't mind it." Then his eyes widened and he rubbed his temples. "I didn't mean to say that out-loud. Please, go get a shirt while proceed to throw myself off of the top of the Big House." He grumbled, rubbing his temples.

A laugh escaped me as I started to walk to the door. "I'll see you in a few minutes, Neeks." "Neeks-" I heard him start to question my new nickname for the Lord of Darkness, but I shut the door and ran back to my cabin where Kayla was watering the hyacinth in the windowsill and looked over and saw me.

"What in the heck were you and your boyfriend doing?" She asked, looking at me in bewilderment as I grabbed a spare Camp Half-Blood t-shirt that was hanging off of the side of my trunk. "Ask Connor." I replied before giving her a one handed wave as I sprinted off to the Hades Cabin once more.


	19. Author's Note

((Author's Note: SO, I've been pretty darn busy lately, I'll try to upload as much as I can but until August I'll be _very_ busy so I apologize if I only get out one chapter this month. I have camp next week, birthdays (siblings), packing, and my own personal life crisis to put it lightly. Anyhow, thank you so much for the amazing reviews, I do check them and listen to your suggestions, advice, criticism, etc. etc. There have been over 8,ooo people who have read the story! Holy Hades, this is the most I've ever had! I love all of you, and I hope you're enjoying this emotional roller coaster. I do have a few plans but in all honesty, I'm going into this just as blind as you all. I know...I should probably brainstorm, but I guess my mind doesn't work that way. Anyhow, sorry for the word vomit that is this note, and I hopefully will be back soon. Till then, see you all later! Keep reading, and stay amazing.))


	20. Let's See How This Promise Ends

((Author's Note: *SCREAMS* Oh my lord, over 8,000 people have read this fanfic, I love you all so much and I hope you know that. We still have a bit of a long way to go, because then ending (?) of this will take place in the PJO timeline when Trials of Apollo picks up. Maybe I'll continue it once I know what happens later on in the series, like when the second book comes out. But until then, just know winter will mean the ending of this. Also, there's another story I have "Percy's Valentine's Day" that I haven't worked on in nearly a year but will start to continue it soon and hope that it's as well received as it's been before. I love you all again and here's some more of Nico's POV for you.))

Will sure was something, he was about to _fight_ Connor Stoll because he barely scraped me? _My_ passive aggressive and oddly protective boyfriend?

Well, that sure is something.

I sprawled myself out on my bed and closed my eyes as I waited for him to get back, knowing him he would probably be running back to his cabin for a shirt. My mind started to wander back to earlier; his pale blue eyes seemed so focused.

"Told you I'd be back in a minute." said a voice from the doorway, where Will was standing, leaning on shoulder on the doorframe and had his arms crossed. His chest rose and fell quickly; it looked like I was right about him running. I started to sit up but he held up two fingers and shook his head. "Nope, you aren't moving."

A groan escaped me and I pursed my lips at him. "It's nothing; I've had worse and was fine." "So you say, but you aren't a doctor." He retorted as he pushed off of the doorframe and sat down on the edge of the bed by my stomach.

I put my hands behind my head and closed my eyes, letting out an inaudible sigh. "Technically neither are you."

I felt the bed shift slightly and he poked my cheek with his left index finger. "Neeks, I'm at least the closest thing to a doctor this camp has. So hush. I will be one day." "Alright, alright." I huffed, opening one eye to look up at him.

A small smile was tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"What's that for?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him and I propped myself up on my elbows. "No reason, just glad to see you're being your usual grumpy self." He laughed slightly, his slight dimples looked a bit more prominent than usual.

I sat up, my arms were sore, it had been a while since I had sparred, and I was getting out of practice which wasn't a good for a demigod like me. I can handle myself well, and my powers are a bit of a buffer in a fight but in order to survive I definitely needed more practice. What Conner had said about me needing that practice as much as he did had engraved itself into my brain.

"You have weird reasons for being glad then, Solace." I told him with a deadpan face and he leaned forward before kissing me on the cheek. "I don't see it that way, Neeks."

That nickname was nearly as bad as "Lord of Darkness".

If he and I ever went out into the city and were attacked by monsters and he started throwing insults at the monster like: "You should fear the Lord of Darkness!" It would make me die of embarrassment, and dread. It sounds like a campy villain in Lord of the Rings or something. ("All shall bow before the Lord of Darkness!" *angry monsters voices*)

I swatted him away though I could feel my face growing hot. "Would you quit it with the names? The only nickname I have to throw back at you is Sunshine, and even that isn't too good." I grumbled.

Will shrugged slightly, a look of triumph plastered on his dumb face. "Ah well, when Leo gets back I'm sure he'll have plenty of nicknames for everybody. I wonder why it's taking that guy so long to get back…" He wondered aloud, as he rubbed his chin.

This earned him a shrug from me and I rolled my eyes at him, my gaze going over to the window that was currently open. "The Son of Hephaestus has bronze for brains, he probably got lost. Last I heard, Harley was working on something to help the idiot get back."

"Were you worried about Leo?" Will asked, tilting his head to the side, this didn't sound like he was jealous (thank the gods. I had a long day even without having to deal with a jealous Son of Apollo).

Was I worried?

"Well, when the explosion happened I was sure he died, but something didn't feel quite right so I was more confused than anything. Whenever anybody I know dies I get this weird ringing in my ears, like what people hear after your supersonic whistle." I started to explain, closing my eyes.

It reminded me of the first time I was at Camp Half-Blood.

I felt it twice, and it was nearly crippling. It was why I was so anxious whenever Percy got back to camp, something was wrong and I knew that, but of course I had complete and utter faith in the guy with kelp for brains.

Only after did I realize that the ringing was because of Bianca and Zoe's deaths.

"Now I'm only worried about when he gets back to camp so I can punch the jerk in the face for making Hazel cry." I added, crossing and Will just laughed, shaking his head.

"You're merciless; though get me first in line. He made me worry too. We'll have to ask Chiron if wants to join in as well." Will gave a lopsided grin in my direction and I found myself having the strange urge to smile in return.

I nodded and gave him a thumb up, "I like the way you think, sunshine." "Glad to hear it." He replied, chuckling.

For some reason at that moment I remembered I was wearing his shirt, and my sight fell on it. "Um…when do you want it back?"

Will glanced at my chest then waved his hand, dismissively, "You can keep it, and I was joking earlier." He replied before scratching his neck, "Okay, maybe I was mimicking when you gave me your jacket, but still."

I fiddled with the end of his shirt, which smelled like him on a completely unrelated note, and looked up at him. "You sure?" "Come on, of course, I have enough shirts to burn. Besides, it'll brighten up your clothes."

He hopped up and lifted the trunk which held my few clothes and miscellaneous things. Will pulled out my shirts and set them on the bed. The only things that weren't black were my camp t-shirts, and one from Hazel from Camp Jupiter that I only wore for pajamas.

"Look at this, it's blasphemy!" He threw up his hands and I rolled my eyes before flopping back on the bed. "I'm seriously doubting if you're a Son of Apollo or if Aphrodite forgot to claim you." He pouted for a moment before he folded my things and put them away again.

It hadn't occurred to me before that but I realized he was a very organized person when it came to certain things, for instance. I hadn't noticed the first time I went into the Apollo cabin but Kayla and Austin had somewhat messy bunks while Will's was pristine.

Maybe it came with the whole "doctor" thing. But meeting Apollo in person, it seemed odd to think he could have an organized son.

Suddenly I realized he was staring at me and I quickly looked away. The Son of Apollo sighed and walked over to me, "What is it? You were looking at me for a while." "Nothing, I just noticed how neat you are." I replied, refusing to look at him.

 _You have got to stop staring, he's going to think you're stalking him or some shit._ I thought and he narrowed his light eyes at me. "Neat as in cool neat or as in organized neat?" "Neat as in organized neat you dork." I replied, tossing my pillow at him, which he sadly caught and tossed right back at me.

"I'm not a dork." He said crossing his arms at me and I sat up, pointing at him. "Can you make an argument against it?"

There was a small pause that settled over us, and his face contorted in concentration.

"Well I…no." He finally stated.

I smirked. "Exactly. I rest my case." "Arguing with you is like arguing against Piper." He muttered, sitting on the end of my bed.

"All except for the fact I don't need charmspeak to prove a point." I said and his mouth formed a "O" in my direction. "Ouch, Neeks, damn." He said whistling after a moment passed. A bit of hair fell in his face and that did not in fact help my train of thought.

The door swung open and Kayla opened up the door to my cabin. I threw up my hands, "Is it just a child of Apollo thing where _nobody_ in your cabin knocks?!"

If she cared about my comment, she ignored it.

"You let him get hurt Will?" She asked, jabbing her thumb in my direction. "I didn't think Conner would land a hit." Will sighed, his shoulders falling as his head fell back and he stared up at the ceiling in exasperation.

His sister didn't hear any of that either, "And you say you're a good boyfriend." She huffed, frowning at her older brother before she looked over at me. "Conner told me about it." "I didn't think she'd actually ask him." Will mumbled, closing his eyes as he leaned against the wall.

"Well I did, Nico, want me to hit Will for you?" She asked and I shrugged, "No, I'd rather you didn't. Thanks for the offer though." I replied, chuckling and Will held out his arms in a: "come-at-me-bro" gesture.

"Hey!" He protested as Kayla and I laughed.

I had been worried she'd always be a bit standoffish to me, but I think we were on good terms at the moment. Hopefully we were at least.

"Anywho," She said, tucking some hair that had fallen in her face behind her ear as she glanced over her shoulder and out of the door, "Dinner will be starting soon so you two need to wrap up whatever you were doing here."

She waved her hand and wiggled her eyebrows in our direction and called over her shoulder to the two of us with a maniacal grin, "Have fun, don't do anything I wouldn't do!" My cheeks flushed and I looked over at Will to find he was in the same situation as me.

"I'll tell Conner tonight to get her back so that we're even." I told Will and he gave me a grateful smile.

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Thanks, sorry she can be a bit…over the top I guess." He said and I shrugged slightly, my heart rate returning to normal. "It's alright; odds were we'd get some sort of teasing eventually. Honestly I'm surprised Reyna didn't do it."

Will was getting embarrassed, something that rarely happens, so it was up to me to lighten the mood. Ironic, yes, I'm just about the last person who people would turn to in order to make something a little less tense. Yet here we were.

He looked over at me and managed a smile. "I think she was more concerned with intimidating me, and she did a mighty fine job of that."

"Ah well, she looks out for the people she cares for." I replied and he bit his lip. "So when we play Capture the Flag will I have to worry about her hurting you?"

"She's brutal when fighting," I explained, "don't get your hopes up."

"Damn." He said with a deadpan look on his face before he stood up and stretched his hands above his head. I sat up as well, and he extended his hand towards me to help me up. "I can manage." I told him before he waved his hand slightly.

A sigh escape him and he leaned down, "Just accept my help for once, you stubborn boy."

Begrudgingly, I placed my hands in his.

He easily pulled me up and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Now come on, Neeks, I have a rhyming brother and an annoying sister awaiting me. And you of course." "But of course." I replied shrugging slightly as a found a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

We walked up the hill and Paolo saw us and waved in our direction. "Olá." He said with a small smile and I noted his bandana with the Brazilian flag was hanging out of his back pocket.

He promptly tripped over a helmet as we passed the Ares cabin and let out a long string of what I gathered was a very rude thing in Portuguese.

It didn't seem like a lucky bandana to me but he always insisted it was, so who was I to judge? My luck was just as good as his always seemed to be with that thing he toted around. Maybe the bandana to him was like my ring is to me.

We walked up the hill to the Dining Pavilion, and like so many times before Austin and Kayla were waiting for Will and I. Austin had his arms crossed and refused to even say hello for fear of rhyming again.

I had to admit, my boyfriend's rhyming curse was fantastic, I'd love to see how the Ares cabin would react to it. It had become a legend around camp about the time the Apollo cabin had cursed them with it. Sadly, I wasn't around during that time. Oh how I wish I were though.

"Tomorrow," Chiron started to say as he silenced the conversations that had been going on between the different tables, "will be a first. They will be a new type of activity after dinner. It'll be a race, as the head counselors at every room knows, it will be in the Labyrinth. Nobody will be going in alone, and everything has been looked at and it's no longer as dangerous."

 _As dangerous_. I thought as I rolled my eyes. I still didn't like the idea of going in there, but at least I would be able to get Will and some of the other campers out quickly if anything happened.

"You may now eat, that's it for announcements." He finished as he went to go sit down in his wheelchair to eat. Will poked my side. "You have that look."

"What look?" I retorted, only realizing I had been scowling at that moment.

He rolled his eyes, "Is this about the maze? Because if so, I promise nothing bad will happen." "I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you haven't been in there, Will. Okay?"

His shoulders fell slightly and he tapped his foot on the ground the way he always does whenever he's in thought. "Call it a hunch."

"My hunch is telling me we shouldn't go in there." I replied and Will rolled him eyes at me, reaching over for my hand. "Before I came along your hunch was also that you should leave camp and now look at you. It's going to be fine, Nico. I promise you."

 _Promises never end well for me._ I thought grimly as I looked over at him.


	21. The Maze Is Dangerous, End of Story

After dinner Chiron pulled me aside and put his hand on my shoulder, I figured he would be explaining something about the Labyrinth, "Due to the fact that time runs differently in the maze, after lunch is when we'll send everyone into it. For now the extent of it is finding one of the numerous checkpoints laid out within the maze, and getting out again. Will, I'm counting on you if anything happens in there. Find whoever is in danger and get them back here. Kayla is the second best medic here at camp, so she'll be staying out here." He explained, and even though I was telling Nico everything would be fine with the coming day…Well, it was a relief to know my little sister would be safe regardless.

"Got it, thanks Chiron." I replied, trying for a reassuring smile, and he nodded. "You're welcome, Will. Now get some rest, tomorrow will prove to be interesting. I'm sure of that."

He wasn't the only one who was sure of that.

Nico was waiting for me at the edge of the pavilion, but he wasn't watching my conversation with Chiron.

The Son of Hades was staring out at the ocean and horizon where you could just see the Manhattan skyline. His arms were crossed, and he was leaned up against a column, his dark eyes flicked from place to place as if he were imagining the battle that had happened here only a few months prior.

I walked over and looked at him before asking with a faint laugh. "Still worried about tomorrow, or thinking about the past?" He ran a hand through his feathery black hair, messing it up more than it already was, and he closed his eyes. "Bit of both you could say."

He reached over for my hand and started to walk, "Right now the last thing I want to do is think, so talk. You're pretty good at keeping me from worrying." He said as I walked beside him. I raised an eyebrow at him and poked his cheek with my finger.

"What's this 'pretty good' business? I am fantastic at keeping people from worrying, what are you talking about?" I asked, pursing my lips and a ghost of a laugh escaped him as he shook his head.

He looked over at me, with a faint smile, "You're an idiot, you know that Solace?" "In this relationship, I am certainly _not_ the idiot." I told him firmly, rolling my blue eyes at him and his smile faded.

"Are you accusing me of being the idiot then?" He asked, in a matter-of-factly kind of way. "I didn't say that-" I started to tell him then groaned and looked up at the sky that was lit ablaze with the fading light of the sun.

"This is like arguing with the Aphrodite kids." I mumbled and Nico had a look of triumph on his face.

A little known fact, you wouldn't expect it at first, but arguing with Aphrodite kids is a bit like arguing with the captain of a debate team. They know exactly what to say to flip the conversation around so you're arguing against the point you were originally trying to make.

Back when Drew was the head counselor, if you listened closely against my cabin walls you could hear our angry yells and rants about her. When we had to inspect the cabins, once, the Aphrodite Cabin had the _worst_ cabin.

This was right after the Battle of Manhattan so they were still assimilating to Drew being the head counselor instead of Silena (may she rest in peace) and it looked like the Ares cabin had set off one of their grenades in their cabin.

I was still adjusting to being the head counselor of the Apollo Cabin, and was trying to fill the shoes Michael Yew had left for me to fill. It was a mess, but I organized everybody enough and got the cabin cleaned, thank the gods.

Since they had the worst cabin, naturally they had to do dishes that week.

But Drew got other ideas. She came over to me, batting her glittery pink eyes at me, and my mind went to mush.

"Hun, would you mind doing the dishes this week? After all of the tragedy we've gone through I'm sure you understand we've just had a rough time." She cooed, her voice like silk.

Before I realized what I was doing I spent the next hour and a half doing the dishes by myself.

The night before she left during the school year Austin, Kayla and I turned up the music so loud it made the walls vibrate, and she stormed into our cabin.

"What are you doing?!" She screeched, her hair looking like something out of _Annie_ and I pointed to the music. "Too loud! I can't hear you!"

She hated me after that, but I didn't give a damn about that.

Finally, Nico and I arrived at the Hades cabin, the green flames sent shadows against our faces as the sun had finally dipped below the horizon and now our surroundings were becoming darker by the minute.

My boyfriend looked at me, and then looked over at my cabin. "Are you ready for tomorrow?" He asked, and I shrugged, "What happens happens. It'll be fine."

I leaned down and kissed his cheek and told him in a whisper. "Sleep well, big day head of us tomorrow."

His eyes followed me as I left to head back to my cabin, something I knew he was doing even if I hadn't have looked over my shoulder to wave goodbye.

Austin was sitting on his bunk and Kayla looked at me with a sigh. "He's gone on a vow of silence until the curse wears off." She grumbled and a sigh escaped me, mimicking hers.

I flopped down onto my bed and shrugged, "Once it's on, it has to wear away by itself. Sorry Austin." He frowned and pulled out a piece of paper before he scribbled quickly on it and wrote in all capital letters: IF YOU DO THIS TO ME AGAIN I SWEAR TO ZEUS

A laugh escaped me seeing that, and Kayla rolled her eyes. "I will never understand boys. Anyhow, what's your plan of action for tomorrow, Will?" "I'll be with Nico, that's just about it. I haven't been in the maze so he's the only one here at camp that's personally been in there." I replied, sitting up as I went over to water the plants in the windowsill.

The hyacinth was starting to droop; I knew the old stories about how my father had fallen for the beautiful man but jealously tore them apart.

Well if dad ever got off of his high horse in my lifetime and actually spoke to me, at least he wouldn't disown me for dating another guy. That seemed like the only silver lining to that myth.

After watering the flower that perked up almost instantly, I fell onto the bed and Austin wrote something else on his notepad: Doesn't that mean you'll have the advantage if Nico's with you?

"Yes, but mind you I also have to have a quick way to get out of the maze being the medic. If something happens he can just shadow travel us out of there, as much as I dislike shadow traveling there are some perks to it." I added, putting my hands behind my head.

Kayla flipped off the lights in the cabin and poked my side. "Get some sleep, Will. You'll need it."

Austin sighed louder than usual and crawled underneath the covers. Kayla walked over and crossed her arms at him. "There are worse things than rhyming curses, do you see this?" She held up her hand and pressed her pointer finger and thumb together and rubbed them together. "This is the world's tiniest violin, playing _just_ for you."

That earned my little sister a pillow in the face, and she just laughed before climbing into her own bed and she quickly fell asleep.

I got changed and hopped into bed, hoping maybe tonight I wouldn't have to deal with bad dreams, or any dreams at all at the very least.

Ever since the Giant War I hadn't had many nightmares about anything but myself and the people who had died because I didn't do my job well enough, but that night rattled me up.

I was standing in an alley way, looking up at the sky and saw a burst of lightning even though there weren't any rain clouds in the area for miles. Zeus no doubt, was playing at something, what it was that he was doing though...I had no idea.

Then a figure fell out of the sky, a limp figure, and the only reason I knew what that looked like is because I saw Ethan Nakumura fall from Olympus. One of the pegasi caught him as he fell so we could give him a proper funeral.

What I noticed as the figure fell, is that they seemed to have fallen out of the sun. As if the sunlight had just spat him out.

"What in the…?" I murmured as the dream changed and I stood in the woods surrounding camp, feeling as though the trees were about to consume me. My heart hammered in my chest, mind you, I don't have claustrophobia, but standing there in the dark woods, I felt a crippling fear engulf me. Something shoved my shoulder and I nearly screamed when-

I woke with a start, finding Kayla stand over me. "Morning, sunshine, up and at 'em."

 _Joy_. I thought, rubbing my eyes as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes with the back of my hand. "Also, you have a visitor." She added, nodding to the door where I found an even grumpier looking Nico di Angelo waiting for me with his arms crossed. I held up a finger as a yawn escaped me and I got out of bed, realizing I was wearing one of my gray, sleeveless t-shirts and boxer shorts.

"Get changed." Nico said in an exasperated tone, as Kayla left and she shut the door behind her.

Austin seemed to be out already probably out at the archery range, practicing, knowing him at least.

I got changed into my usual type of clothes and pulled on my sandals before I tied my hair back and Nico was wearing his ever so familiar scowl to greet me.

He was wearing his Ramones shirt, navy blue jeans (he added a bit of color!), his aviator jacket, skull ring; his hair was partially tied back, and cold, jet black Stygian Iron sword strong to his belt.

That look never failed to make me glad I was on his good side. Besides, it suited him.

"You seem cheery." I noted, raising an eyebrow at him and he looked over in the direction of Zeus's Fist, which is where we were planning on entering the maze. "Sue me." He replied, with an eye roll.

He walked over to me then locked eyes with me, "Today, in the maze, I need you to promise me something on the River Styx." It looked like he was pretty serious.

His dark eyes bore into mine, and any person in their right mind would have high tailed it out of their, the Son of Hades was intimidating to demigods, monsters, and gods alike.

Luckily, I was just as stubborn as he was, and if he wanted a stare off I wouldn't back off. I knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't do anything to me. (Least I hoped so, you could never tell with Italians.)

"Depends on what that is." I replied, not backing down as Nico took a step towards me.

"When we're in the maze, I don't care if it's mellowed, something will happen. I need you to promise me that whatever I tell you to do once we're in there you'll do." He said in a firm voice and his face softened.

It was obvious he hadn't got any sleep, and worry was the only thing I could register on his face. His dark brows were drawn together and it felt like he was trying to warn me about the dangers of the maze. Little did he know I was the one who helped fix Clarrise up after she stumbled out of the maze, looking like she had been through hell and back.

Ares and Apollo may not have go alone but when Silena didn't know what to do she came to me, surprising me in the process. Here's the girl who could calm down any animal, who knew exactly what to say to mellow out any of the campers, coming to me. A lowly son of Apollo, who fails miserably with archery and only has a half decent gift of healing people.

He sighed and took a step back, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Sorry, that sounded like I was trying to order you around or something. I just…"

The Son of Hades' voice cracked and his eyes fell. "I don't want to lose you too."

I walked over and wrapped my arms around him; he looked up at me, surprised. I smiled at him softly and murmured, "You won't, and I plan on sticking around for a good long time. Whatever happens I'll do what you say, no Styx needed."

He buried his face in my chest for a moment, silent, and I wished I knew what was going on inside his head. "Thank you." He mumbled, it was slightly muffled due to the fact that he was speaking into my shirt but I didn't mind.

He pulled away and scratched the back of his head, his cheeks looking slightly pink. Was he embarrassed?

"Anyhow, we'd…better eat. Come on." He turned and started to walk without even waiting for me, and there wasn't a doubt in my mind he was embarrassed.

How adorable.

The rest of the morning passed relatively slowly, everybody seemed to have a few jitters about the coming afternoon.

Chiara walked over to Austin before lunch and slung an arm around his shoulder, "I have a feeling we should be partners, what do you say?"

Before he could stop himself he smiled up at her (Chiara is quite tall for a girl, but she didn't care) and said, "Great! Don't be late." Then his face fell and he shot me daggers once again.

Chiara Benvenuti raised a confused eyebrow at him, but shrugged and walked over to her table.

Holly and Laurel Victor naturally decided to pair up.

Harley and Nyssa paired up, as did Shane and Jake Mason.

It seemed most people were sticking to siblings.

Damien White and Paolo ended up together and he frowned at Travis Stoll. "I can't even understand the guy!" He complained, and Paolo slapped Damien's head with the back of his hand with a frown. "Ow!" Damien complained giving Travis a look of: _help me_.

Nico cracked a smile seeing their little dispute. "I love that guy." He said, gesturing to Paolo, and I reached over for his free hand. "I sure hope you don't."

That earned me an eye roll.

Finally everybody was standing in front of Zeus's Fist, the pile of boulders that I have only once seen resemble anything remotely close to a fist. Maybe Minotaur Droppings would be a more accurate name.

Though I doubt Thunderpants would like that.

Thunder rolled overhead and I silently regretted thinking that, the gods never communicated but they seemed to have acute hearing when it came to themselves. Primadonna little immortals beings they are.

"Around the maze there are numerous checkpoints set up, you'll know it's a checkpoint by the laurel wreath there. You are to find one, and get back to camp." Chiron explained.

"Simple enough." Chiara murmured, shrugging softly and Austin looked at the gap in Zeus's Fist with apprehension.

Kayla stood beside Chiron with a whistle orange enough to make Gleeson Hedge drool buckets. "The winner gets a day out in Manhattan with their partner. Go!" She blew the whistle, and half of the people covered their ears while I grinned.

I wanted that day out with Nico in Manhattan.

Without thinking I grabbed Nico and pulled him along so we were the first into the gap. "Hades' gym-shorts, Will!" Nico yelled, as I started to pull him through the gap until we were standing in what looked like a maintenance tunnel.

Nico glanced over his shoulder as did I, the other pairs were trying to squirm through the gap unsuccessfully.

We had the advantage in this race, _let's do this_. I looked ahead of us and started to walk, and Nico's grip seemed to tighten. "We're here." He murmured, looking around as our pace picked up.

We took a few turns, knowing full well we'd eventually made it out, if the maze moved it moved, at the minute our biggest concern was finding one of those checkpoints. There didn't seem any point in keeping track of where we came from.

After around three minutes of walking, we walked into a room full of white marble. There weren't any torches so it seemed like everything was a brown. Neither one of us could see, I could make out Nico squinting, and a few shadowy outlines on the far wall of the room but it felt like suicide to do anything in the dark.

For a while I had wanted to try something, and being as though we were in the dark, it was the perfect time.

"Where do we go?" Nico asked and I let go of his hand. "Hold on, I have an idea."

I focused on the image of the sun, the feeling of warmth from it, the pale light that always seemed to relax me and then-

There was the sound of a faint breeze, and my hair flew around my face as if I were underwater before it settled and a small ball of yellow, pale light bobbed above my hand. It was the size of softball, and it was just enough to see our surroundings.

Nico couldn't care less about our surroundings at the minute; he was staring at my face then the ball of light. "Since when have you been able to do that?" He asked, his jaw dropping slightly. I put my finger underneath his chin and closed his mouth with a small laugh.

"Since just now, figured dear old pops is the sun god, maybe something like that would be passed along to me being as though I have almost no skill with archery." I gave my best guess at explaining and looked around once more.

"Anyhow, we have more important matters," I started to say when I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I glanced around the room looking for an exit, there were only two wooden doors and the point that we came in from.

Apparently, Nico sensed it too, because he pulled out his Stygian Iron sword and whispered urgently to me. "Put the light out, Will." I did just that as some familiar voices echoed around the tunnels that seemed to twist and turn at will. We couldn't tell where the voices were coming from, so we were stuck being sitting ducks.

"Stop walking, Paolo, you can't even see where you're going-and yes I know you _thought_ you saw some sort of light, but this maze messes with your head-" Damien's aggravated voice said and I saw two murky figures in the dark come into view.

Nico sighed and looked at me, "It's just them." He murmured and I heard Paolo say in his thick Brazilian accent ask, "Nico?"

I willed the light to return and gave them a small wave. "Hey you two." I said and Damien looked at me suspiciously. "Why aren't you trying to throw us off of your trail?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at us as he crossed his arms.

My boyfriend nodded to the door, seemingly on the same page as I was. "There are two doors so the chances of us getting to a checkpoint are just as good as yours." He explained, folding his arms together, in almost a mirror fashion of Damien.

Paolo looked at the two doors for a moment before he pointed to the one on his right. Damien sighed, "He's made himself leader, so that's where we're going I guess." A sigh escaped the Son of Nemesis and I could tell he wasn't happy with being the follower instead of the leader in this case.

Hard to be happy when you're in this weird maze, though, I'll admit.

Nico waited for them to go through the right door before he started to walk to the left one, with me on his tail.

The sinking feeling in my stomach still hadn't faded; at least if we met whatever was causing this we had a better chance at fighting and surviving. If Damien and Paolo meet whatever it was…well I hope that they hang in there.

For the first time, I was praying that Nico and I would meet the-whatever we feared.

"I don't like this…" I murmured, following Nico through the door where was walked on old mosaics that resembled the ones from ancient times.

Nico nodded but stayed silent, walking in front of me with his sword drawn and ready. My light barely penetrated the darkness surrounding us and only lit up enough of the tunnel so that we could see where we were walking without tripping over the numerous random stones that seemed to exist only to make me trip.

The tunnel opened up into what seemed like an arena, but it reeked of dust and blood. How could that be? It didn't look like it had been touched in years. The stench of blood normally faded after a short time, being a doctor I knew that at the very least. "Hm...no laurel." I murmured, casting my light around, there seemed to be another opening on the arena on the far end opposing us but other than that it seemed empty. Above us there were only a few chains hanging from the very high ceiling. It was a very odd set-up, like something out of a modern gladiator.

Nico frowned deeply, it seemed as if somebody who was born from the god of darkness even this place felt unsettling.

Only at that minute did I notice the human skeletons propped up on the walls of the place. Then I realized the dust must be the remains from monsters, and the question of how long this place was in use pried on my mind heavily.

"Let's get out of here, something doesn't feel right." The Son of Hades mumbled, looking ready to spring into action at any minute. I felt pretty useless having no weapons and no ability to fight. If anything happened I would be forced to hide behind Nico and cheer him on like, "Yeah, don't mess with us, i have a dangerous boyfriend I'm not afraid to use!"

That would be pathetic.

We had started to walk to the opening on the far end of the area when there was a blood curling scream, no doubt it was from the Son of Hebe, Paolo.

"The hell, did the two doors lead to similarly close places?" Nico asked, his eyes flashing dangerously as he steadied his sword in front of him and took a step in front of me protectively.

There was another yell, this time Damien, his voice sounded desperate. "No!"

Something was wrong, very, supremely, and utterly wrong.

"Nico we have to find them." I said, seeing an exit on the opposite end of the weird arena. He nodded and we started to sprint whenever I saw Damien dragging an unconscious Paolo in through that exit. He saw us and relief flooded his face.

"Will, Nico! Get Paolo out of here, he-his arms-" He stuttered, Damien was shaking. I gently pushed away Nico's sword before sprinting over to the two figures. My light only extended so far, but even from the distance that I was at I could tell there was blood. Not a lot of it seemed to be Damien's.

Nico was still a bit behind me when I arrived and finally saw Paolo's body finally.

Sweat was beading his forehead, he was blacked out and…his arms were nearly decapitated, just barely holding on with a piece of thin tissue. Blood had soaked through his shirt, was still pouring out of his shoulder with every heartbeat, and he was paler than the light bobbing in front of me.

With my concentration broken it flicked, and I forced my mind to do two things at once.

Nico ran up beside us and saw Paolo.

Then there was a cackle of laughter, and a woman with long hair that came down past her face, and a seemingly regular body approached us. Her face, was anything but normal, it seemed deformed and she didn't have any eyes. It was like some weird indie horror monster, and she was nearly as unsettling as Paolo's arm's.

"Who are you?" Nico challenged, leveling his sword as I ripped off strips of my shirt and wrapped it around Paolo's practical numbs of arms, his body shook as I wrapped it up and his nerves seemed to be in disarray from how he reacted. Like they were ten times more sensitive than they should have been.

"Oh, nobody remembers me," She whispered, her voice barely reaching us, and she swept her hair over her shoulder, her fingernails resembled claws. They were bloody, with Paolo's blood and anger gripped me. "Lamia was my name so many centuries ago." She murmured, and Nico frowned, "You're one of the bases for the vampire legends." Her smiled faded and she launched forward at him.

"Cursed!" She shrieked and Nico glanced back at me for a moment before looking back at her.

At the very last second he slashed upwards and she exploded into dust. "All of that, and you weren't even a fight." He murmured before running over to us.

My light flickered out as he knelt down and put his hand on my shoulder, and on Damien's. "Close your eyes." He told me, knowing full well my distaste when it comes to shadow traveling.

"No." Though I had to make sure Paolo didn't make his way down to Hades while we were engulfed by the very things he controlled.

The shadows crept towards the four of us and suddenly we reappeared in the infirmary where Kayla nearly fell off of the cot that she had been sitting on. "Whoa, a little warning next...oh."

"Get the ambrosia." I told her, throwing off the scraps of my shirt as I ran to get gloves and my tools, she sprinted to get some ambrosia and Damien left as soon as he stood up. Outside I could hear him wrenching his guts up.

Whatever helped him cope, I guess. As I ran past him I pointed in the direction of the Big House, "Find Chiron, go!"

I couldn't afford to think though, normally whenever a thing like this happens my mind shuts off and I move without having to think.

Nico sat by Paolo, watching carefully.

I pulled on my scrub, some gloves and sprinted back over. I pulled off the bandage and dripped some ambrosia into his mouth.

A bit of his color seemed to return, but it seemed like a fever had set in. His eyes opened a bit, something that made me want to curse. This was going to be painful, and if he was awake it would make things even worse. _Damn_.

I grabbed the disinfectant and looked at Kayla and Nico. "Help hold him down."

He looked around, confused and then his eyes landed on his arms and he looked like he wanted to be sick. For all of our sake, I prayed he didn't. It would be messy to clean up and wouldn't help me make sure he didn't die.

They came over Nico put two hands on him, one on his stomach, and the other on his head. Kayla put her hands on his legs and I nodded before pouring some over the stubs.

There were a lot of Portuguese words I didn't understand, but that I am completely sure were not pleasant things that I heard in that thirty seconds and he bit on his lip. His breathing was ragged and was growing slower by the minute. I knew we were on a time crunch and if I didn't either take off his arms entirely or reattach them somehow, he'd be on his way to Hades. I didn't want to add him to what seemed like my ever growing list.

Considering what was happening to him at that minute, he was doing pretty well. _Hang in there, Paolo._ I thought silently as I grabbed his arm.

It was an odd thing to do, I had never done anything quite like this, but people reattached thumbs and fingers and such. Couldn't we do the same with limbs?

I set both of his arms back where they should be and looked at him. "I'm sorry, this is going to suck." I apologized before I grabbed the needle and Paolo therefore blacked out once again. At least that would make my job easier. I prayed to Apollo that it was from shock and not from blood loss because if it was the latter we would have a major problem.

Nico took a step back and watched with an unreadable expression on his face. Kayla helped me poke the thread through the needle and handed it to me.

Thirty minutes later, both of his arms were attached, and I knew I would be rubbing the stench of blood off of me for hours. I sang a hymn to my father and the area around us glowed slightly, and Paolo's expression softened a bit and his breathing evened out considerably. I sat down, feeling as if I had run a marathon as I always felt after doing that last bit.

Hymns to my father normally help, as it did with Annabeth when she had been stabbed in the back. Literally.

Kayla told me to take a break and that she would make a cast for Paolo so that he wouldn't injure himself while his arms were reattaching themselves to his shoulders.

I walked over to the bathroom in the infirmary and felt physically and mentally exhausted, in the mirror as I looked at myself something seemed alien. That's how I normally felt after doing these things, while I was attending to whoever was hurt it was smooth sailing.

As soon as I sat down, or allowed myself even a moment to relax I came crashing back into reality.

 _What if Paolo isn't able to fight anymore from my incompetence as a doctor and medic?_ I thought, taking off the gloves as I threw them into the trash and ran a hand through my hair. I pulled off the scrub and saw my bare chest, noticing some of the pale scars on my chest and sighed.

I looked at myself in the mirror, my freckles, my eyes, my hair, and felt my chest closing up, that familiar doubt that seemed to bite away at me when-

"Will." Said Nico from behind me, and I realized I left the door open. _Oh, great._

He walked over and held up something, a laurel.

"Damien said we could have it, apparently we were the first out." He told me before he placed it on my head with a sympathetic look, sweeping a bit of my hair out of my face. "If not for you Paolo would have died. You're allowed to take some credit for that."

He gave me a small smile, and put his hand on my shoulder, "Keep your head high, but if you can't know I'm here for you."

There were no words to explain how grateful I was for him at that moment. All I could do was nod, and he reached over for my hand. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up." "Thank you Nico." I murmured, running my thumb over his hand and he raised an eyebrow.

"What for?" He asked, and I managed a smile. "Would it be wrong to say everything?" A small laugh escaped him as we walked to his cabin, he glanced up at me and murmured, "Idiot."

Well, it certainly was an interesting go at the maze. Maybe next time we won't have to worry about somebody potentially dying. Then again, we are demigods.

Dying seems to be what we do the best.


	22. Of Coure He Used Google Translate

Other than Kayla and Chiron the camp was entirely deserted, it was odd. It's a place so vibrant it should have kids and teenagers running around, laughing, joking, and being loud. At the moment it was so quiet everything we said seemed to echo around the silent cabins.

Will was silent, and I knew he had his worries about Paolo, but he was alive. I wished Will saw that, and let himself feel pride in the fact that he did that, he saved him. Sadly, my boyfriend was more complicated than that dammit.

We eventually got to my cabin and I looked at him, he had a bit of blood on his chest, it stained him through the scrub and after that much running around he was a bit sweaty.

Now when I said, "Let's get you cleaned up" I didn't mean getting in the shower with him. No, I had a washcloth and that would work just as fine.

Sorry to disappoint.

We walked in and he fidgeted with the laurel that sat on his head. I frowned as I tossed off my jacket, "It looks fine, Will, I would have told you if it didn't." "You do tend to be brutally honest with stuff like that." He admitted, taking a deep breath as I went into the bathroom. I filled a bowl that somehow found its way into my bathroom with water, grabbed one of my black washcloths and walked out to him again.

"I guess you were right to worry about the maze." He murmured, his blue eyes falling and I rolled my eyes at him in return as I dipped the cloth into the water. "Hush, I'm not going to let you put yourself down. Okay, it's my job to insult you and you know I don't even mean those."

He raised a dirty blond eyebrow at me, and he leaned back on his hands as I began to dab away the blood. "Even when you call me idiot?" "No comment." I replied, cracking a small smile.

That got a faint smile out of the Son of Apollo, making me relieved.

I tried not to make it obvious that I was staring at his chest, but I found it cute how he had freckles even there. He was pretty quiet, more so than usual which I guess I should have expected after everything but it was so weird compared to how talkative he usually is. It's like the empty camp that stood around us.

Weird.

"I think I'm going to stay in the infirmary tonight, give Kayla a break and keep an eye on Paolo." He explained and I looked up at him as I wrung out the washcloth, "I'll stay there too, even though like I said months ago, you probably don't want a Son of-"

Will gave me a soft smile, "I would love the company of a Son of Hades. Thanks."

I finished getting the dried blood off of him and set it down on the side table by my bed. "Oh and do you want one of my shirts?" I asked, still taking note of his chest.

There were a few scars, making me wonder what they were from. Monsters? Sword practices gone wrong? Other demigods?

He shrugged and I dug through my trunk, finding a shirt that I knew Will would never chose of his own free will (no pun intended) but I think it would look nice.

I tossed it to him and he held it up in front of himself. "Really?"

It was a simple black t-shirt with the word "No" written on it in white. _Ah, a classic_. "Yes, really. Now come on, while you were stitching up Paolo I talked to Damien and he said Chiron wanted to speak to us."

Will took off the laurel and put it back on again, so it was more comfortable I guessed and pulled on the shirt before he stood up. "Okay, lead the way, di Angelo."

The two of us stood up and he reached over for my hand, "Thanks again Nico." He murmured, and I stared at him.

Thank you's were not something I heard often, and staring at him…Him, in his shirt from me, his shorts, his dirty blond hair, the laurel wreath, his freckles, and those pale blue eyes of his…all I could do was nod in reply and reply back with a stupidly small response. "It's alright Will, I don't mind."

Stupid mouth, always saying dumb things, that was a point where I should have just said: "You're welcome." And left it at that.

As we started to head out of the door I flipped off the soft light that I had got put into a room recently and shut the door behind me.

Outside, it was just as quiet as when we had left, and we made our way over to the Big House with its old country feel and blue paint.

Chiron was in sitting in his wheelchair on the wraparound porch, gazing out over the camp that lied before him.

This camp was old, and even though everyone knew it had been around for centuries, somehow the realization just hit me. People in the Revolutionary War may have gone here. The thought that teenagers, and maybe even a select few adults during the Civil War walked on the very same grounds Will and I were walking around on… Well, it's something you don't necessarily understand the feeling of until you're standing in an empty place.

The old teacher saw us and beckoned us over with his hand. "Damien explained to me the situation with Paolo." He started to say and Will scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, for the time being he should stay in bed rest."

Chiron nodded and looked from Will to me and back to Will. "I see you're wearing the laurel," A faint chuckle escaped him; "Damien insisted he didn't want it, and that you should have it." He paused and wheeled over to my boyfriend. "You've done well, I'm sure your father would be proud."

The Son of Apollo sighed and let go of my hand to lean on the railing with both of his hands as he stared up at the cloudy evening sky. "Yeah, if he ever got down off of his high horse." He grumbled slightly, then seemed to remember something and turned to look at Chiron. "I had a dream last night, and I'm not sure what it means…"

This grabbed my attention, if we were talking about dreams my first thought would be to go to the Hypnos Cabin but all of their campers had left for home so we were stuck. It was all open to interpretation at this point.

"I can only give my thoughts about it," Chiron started to say, running his hand through his beard that he was growing out for winter. "Do tell me."

Will put his hand in his pockets and closed his eyes, as if trying to remember the fine details in the dream. With things of this nature, everything counted.

"Well I was in an alleyway, it was dirty," _As alleyways tend to be._ I thought, thinking it would be better not to cut him off. "Lightning flashed in the sky even though it was completely sunny…"

"Lightning, so it means Zeus?" I guessed and Will shrugged, "That's how I thought, and I looked up at the sun when a figure fell. It seemed to me like it fell out of the sun." He said, narrowing his eyes as if he didn't understand.

I folded my arms across my chest and had an inkling of what this might be trying to warn us of. "The sun is your father's symbol, and from what I've heard from the seven at the Battle of the Acropolis Zeus seemed to want to have somebody to blame."

Will may not be the biggest fan of his father, but family is family. Even with their mistakes, you can't always hate them. At least in most cases.

He frowned and shot a glare over at Manhattan. "So he'd put the blame on my father? How does that even make sense?! If anything it's the anemic loser, Octavian's, fault for pitting the camps against eachother-" He started to say and I held up a hand, so I could explain it.

I'm no god, but I've hung around enough to know their train of thought is like an ADHD drunk's; it's all over the place. They're always looking for somebody to blame and punish for even the smallest of things.

"From what I can gather, Zeus believes if Apollo hadn't have made Rachel Elizabeth Dare the next Oracle, she wouldn't have issued the Prophecy of Seven. He thinks if she hadn't have been made the Oracle, the Giant War wouldn't have happened." I tried to explain, sounding as unbiased as possible.

Don't get me wrong, Zeus is stupid if he _actually_ pitted all of the blame on his son, but he's the kind of the gods. It's not like Apollo can just squeeze out of punishment if Pinstripes decides to punish him.

Will tapped his foot on the wooden porch in an aggravated way, and grumbled, "So why then out of all the places to watch Apollo fall out of the sky I was watching from a dumpster?"

Chiron, who had stayed silent with his "I-know-what-it-going-on-but-I-can't-tell-you-because-of-dumbass-reasons" look on his face, finally spoke up. "Perhaps it is where he'll land."

"So it hasn't happened yet?" Will questioned, as he stopped tapping his foot (thank Hades, that was getting annoying).

A small, sympathetic smile crossed Chiron's face and he chuckled, "I'm sure we would hear of a god falling from the sky."

He began to wheel away, towards the door that led inside and sighed deeply, looking like he aged twenty years in a matter of minutes. "For now, do not worry. We can't live in fear of the future; all we can do is prepare for it." He wheeled himself inside and I rubbed my temples.

"Well that was a gratifying talk." I mumbled, sarcasm dripping from my voice and Will sat down on one of the nearby wooden chairs. "If anything I feel more confused…"

I pulled up a chair next to him and reached over for his hand. "Don't, if it makes you feel any better I'm just as lost as you are." "How's that supposed to make me feel better?" He asked, managing a laugh. It didn't sound like his usual one but it was a start.

He looked over at me with those pale blue eyes of his that made my mind momentarily turn t utter mush. "You're Nico di Angelo, for cryin' out loud. You knew about the Romans before anybody else. You knew about the Doors of Death before anybody else. You seem to know more about the world than everybody here at camp being put together."

Compared to everybody here at camp at the minute, yes I did. But that wasn't of my own free will. The world was at stake, so I had to do a little more digging because I have a bit more leeway to do so with my ability to shadow travel and the fact that I could blend into the shadows also made it easier than most to find out the things I did.

The Romans is a completely different story.

I was in the Underworld with my father, around two weeks after the Battle of Manhattan, just around the time people had started to fear me the way they always do given time.

My father was in his throne room with Persephone, and had sent me away but when you send away your son, threatening to feed you a pomegranate and keep you there if you heard or saw anything related to what he needed to do when I was gone…well, it rings a few alarm bells.

So, naturally, I spied on him. Odds were he knew about it, but it was already too late.

He and I have an odd sort of father-son relationship. If I don't make a big deal out of something, neither will he. I never brought up what happened so he didn't either.

What happened was, the doors to the throne room closed but I managed to hold it open just enough where I could peek in without it being noticeable.

Inside, Persephone was lounging on her throne, looking bored as usual.

When I looked at my father, expecting to see his usual self in dark robes and untidy hair, instead I saw a man wearing a very formal suit that looked both gray and black, with well-kept hair speaking in a more formal way than my father, Hades, would ever have spoken.

His voice was the same, he still had the same cold eyes, yet the manner in which he spoke, held himself, and the feeling of power that radiated off of him seemed more primal. This was my father…but…wasn't.

That got me to thinking, there were two forms of him, and they were very similar, yet completely different.

As I was walking out to the garden, trying to understand what I had just seen I heard a ghost float past mutter something in a language I recognized but wasn't fluent in. Latin. Then it hit me that was the Roman form of my father. That was Pluto, not Hades.

Which led me to thinking, if there's a Greek camp, who's to say that there isn't a Roman one, kept separate to make sure we didn't start fighting.

In a place where all Greek demigods are warned not to go… _The Bay Area_. I realized and set off to see if my suspicions were true.

Surprising enough, I was right.

"Will, I'm good when it comes to hunches, but foretelling the future is something that is in your department more than mine with your father being the god of prophecies and all. After all, if I could tell the future I would never have trusted Percy to make sure Bianca didn't die." I said, and only after saying it did I realize I hadn't kept my mouth shut about the Bianca part.

"I'm joking." I quickly said, trying to cover up my slip up with words, but Will saw right through it.

He gave my hand a small squeeze, and stood up, pulling me up as well. "All of this future talk is just as depressing as talking about the past, so why don't we just forget about the dream for now? I have some movies in my cabin if you want to watch something."

Watching a movie with him…would that be considered a date? Like a typical, watching a movie with your boyfriend? Netflix and chill? (Okay, scratch that last part, no chilling. I am completely okay if we don't Netflix and chill-)

"Nico, your face is turning red." Will stated, as he put his hand against my forehead, like he was checking my temperature. I swatted it away and frowned. "I don't have a fever, Will." I grumbled, rolling my eyes.

"And I would love to watch a movie." I added and he grinned, before he slung his arm around my shoulder, "Great, _andiam, il mio amore_." He said, slipping in a bit of Italian.

I knew for certain I was blushing then, _how long did he practice saying 'Let's go, my love'?_ I wondered.

He winked at me, and I knew that he knew exactly what he was doing. "Sei così stupida, e io ti amo." I replied back, and his face went blank. "Sorry I didn't google translate that yet." He admitted, now his face turning red, and I laughed, shaking my head. Gods, I got the biggest idiot in the world to be my boyfriend, and I love it. 


End file.
